Johannesburg - The DA’s Refiloe Ntseke said Gauteng girl learners continue to miss days of schooling every month because they do not have access to dignity packs.
“The Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD) has constantly failed to meet its targets for the dignity pack programme, despite the programme being in existence for over 11 years. This department’s inability to meet its set targets for this programme has resulted in over R31 million being returned to the Treasury, while young girls and those living with albinism are left to suffer,” Ntseke said.
The Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Morakane Mosupyoe, in response to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), revealed that her department’s under expenditure on the dignity packs programme is because of the late finalisation of specifications.
“This is unacceptable and indicates a lack of project management and prioritisation of programmes within the department. The dignity packs consist of essentials such as sanitary towels, bath soap, aqueous cream, toothpaste, roll-on, toilet paper and hats for girls living with albinism. This programme is not reaching all the young girls that are in dire need of dignity packs,” the shadow MEC for Social Development said.
In the 2016/17 financial year 294 270 dignity packs were distributed and reached 44 572 girls, for the 2015/16 financial year, 239 568 dignity packs were distributed and reached 19 965 girls and in the 2021/22 financial year 1 158 473 dignity packs were distributed and reached 96 536 girls.
The DA proposed that the department should engage with the Provincial Treasury to assist the co-operatives that are working with the department to be converted into small businesses.
“These businesses will be incubated and allowed to tender to provide dignity packs in the province for two years. This will ensure that all our girls have access to dignity packs. Furthermore, the department should have a database of all the learners that are in dire need of these dignity packs to ensure that no girl child is deprived of quality learning time because they do not have access to dignity packs,” Ntseke said.
The Star