The South African Council of Churches has welcomed proposed amendments to Social Assistance Act regulations that would facilitate access to social grants, particularly the Child Support Grant (CSG).

In an effort to curb fraudulent applications for social grants, regulations published in terms of the Social Assistance Act, 1992, require applicants for CSGs to provide a birth certificate or ID document for the relevant child. However, a large proportion of children in South Africa do not have birth certificates, and many do not have identity documents. Children in rural areas are less likely to have documentation than urban dwellers.

The amendments proposed by the Department of Social Development would allow officials to accept other forms of identification _ a "Road to Health" card form a clinic or hospital, a school certificate or report card signed by the school Principal, a sworn statement from a traditional leader, local councillor or religious leader, or a letter form an accredited social worker _ as interim proof of a child's citizenship and eligibility for a CSG. Grants approved on the strength of alternative documentation will automatically lapse in six months unless the applicant can show that he or she has made a reasonable effort to obtain the preferred documentation.

In a letter to the Director_General of the Department of Social Development, the Rev. Keith Vermeulen, Director of the SACC's Parliamentary Office, expressed strong support for the adoption of the proposed changes. "We believe that the delineation of alternative acceptable forms of documentation will help to ensure that all children in need are better able to access social security," he wrote.

The SACC submission did, however, draw attention to the fact that although the regulation is consistent with the scope of the Social Assistance Act, limiting access to social security to citizens is seemingly inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee (sec. 27) that "everyone" has the right to social security. The SACC also urged the Department to monitor the situation to ensure that the Department of Home Affairs is, in fact, able to issue the preferred documentation within the six_month window provided in the proposed regulation.

For more information, call the SACC Parliamentary Office: 021 423 4261