Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - November 13, 2007
He said an estimated eight million children received social grants from the government, a figure that suggests that this country's poverty problem is more serious than thought.
Skweyiya announced plans to bolster several government programmes aimed at helping children and those with HIV/Aids.
He did not mince his words: "HIV/Aids is one of the key challenges facing South Africa today."
He said that more than five million people were believed to be infected with the disease - about one in nine citizens.
If there is any remaining doubt that Aids is a national calamity, Skweyiya's statistics should lay them to rest. This country is enduring a calamitous loss of life and the pandemic is creating an enormous number of children who do not have the support of a family.
But it is not a hopeless situation as long as the government, and Skweyiya's department, continue to provide these children with some kind of support.
Questions have been raised about South Africa's rapidly growing social welfare bill, which is becoming a huge burden on the fiscus.
There are suspicions that there is a large number of people who are abusing, double- claiming or falsely claiming support, leading to the haemorrhaging of resources. Though support ought to be provided urgently, more steps must be taken to eliminate graft and abuse in the social welfare system.
There is the serious danger that those abusing the system will create a burden so large that the government will not have the resources to meet the needs of those in desperate need.
Skweyiya and his department deserve to be supported for the massive effort they are making to help the most vulnerable.
Nelson Mandela made children his national priority. So should we all.
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