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Episode 15 - Social Grants

In this episode of Siyayinqoba Beat It! we discuss the new Children's Act and social grants.  Passed recently, the law enables children to make life decisions without parental consent such as testing for HIV and buying contraceptives over the counter.

The Foster Care and Child Support grants are also under scrutiny from our Support Group as we examine the circumstances under which they are given. Joining the support group discussion is Zukile Kani from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

Shalom Ncala: Sanibonani babukeli emakhaya, siyanamukela kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Lolu uhlelo lwakhe noba ubani ophila negciwane lengculaza. Abathandiweyo babo, yimindeni, abangane, abasebenza nabo ngisho phela nabasebenzi bezempilo. Sithanda ukwamkela iqembu lokweseka. Namhlanje sikhuluma ngezibonelo zikarhulumeni noshintsho olusha emthethweni lwasemigomeni eyenza kubelula ukuthola usizo kulabo abaludingayo ezwweni lethu. Njengamanje sinezingane cishe eziyingulungwane ezimbili eningizim yeAfrika. Namhlanje ukuze sikhulume ngaloludaba sihanjelwe nguZukile Kani ophuma eSASSA (isiZulu). Hello and welcome to Siyayinqoba Beat It! The programme for everyone meeting and beating the challenges of HIV/AIDS. Our families, friends, colleagues or health workers. Welcome to the support group. Today we're talking about social grants and the recent changes in legislation and regulations that make it easier for those who need help to get it. We presently have nearly 2 million orphans in South Africa. With us today to discuss these issues we have Zukile Kani from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)

Support Group: Hi Shalom!

Shalom: Sawubona bhuti, kunjani? Kumnandi ukuba nawe namhlanje.(isiXhosa). Hi Zukile, how are you? It's nice to have you here today.

Zukile Kani: Sikhona enkosi. Kuluvuyo nakum ukuba ndibelapha namhlanje (isiXhosa) I'm fine thank you. I'm happy to be here today.

Shalom: Asiye eMpuma Koloni manje sihlangane nentandane esencane eqaphe abafowabo nodadewabo (isiZulu). Let's go to the Eastern Cape and meet a young orphan who takes care of his siblings.

Lelethu: SiseGalatyeni eLusikisiki sizothetha nabantwana abathe bashiywa ngabazali babo. Umama wakhe notata wabo. (isiZulu) Today we're in Galatyeni Lusikisiki to talk to these children. They have lost both their parents.

Sinethemba Gilo: Mna ke ndinguSinethemba. NguKhayalethu Gilo,ibe ngu Esethu Gilo. SingabaseLusikisiki kwilali yase Xhorana eGalatyeni. UEsethu ngokasisi yena, then uEsethu njengokuba engokasisi waye wayokwenda kengoku usisi wamshiya apha kuthi. So kengoku uxhomekeke apha kuthi wamshiya ngoba wamshiya esemncimnci. Sihlala sobayithree laph'ekhaya, umama notata basishiya. Umama wasishiya ngo1997 utata wasishiya ngo2003 (isiXhosa). My name is Sinethemba. This is Khayalethu Gilo and the little one is Esethu Gilo. We're from Lusikisiki, Xhorana Village in Galatyeni. Esethu is my sister's child, my sister left her with us when she got married. So she's our responsibility, she was very young when my sister left. We live together in this house. My mother and father both passed away, my mother passed away in 1997 and my father in 2003.

Sinethemba: Nangaya ke amangwaba apho kulele khona abazali ababini. Yho! Ngexesha babesekhona kwakumnandi kakhulu ke laph'ekhaya. Senditsho kwakumnandi kwangukho nto sasiyidinga ngeloxesha ngoba kwakumnandi utata wayesebenza sihleli kakuhle nomama. Bathi basosishiya saqalisa ukusufferisha kengoku. Apha ke sasihlala lapha, thina nomama wethu notata wethu. Yeyona ndlu sasihlala kuyo ke le ngelaxesha abazali bethu besaphila. Ukuze kube inje ke kwabangumoya (isiXhosa). That is where our parents are buried. We were very happy when they were still alive. We had everything we needed back then because my father had a job and we were all happy with my mom. When they passed away we started suffering. This is the house we used to live in when my parents were still alive, the roof was blown away by strong winds.

Lelethu: Ingaba niyayifumana igrant?(isiXhosa) Do you get social grants?

Sinethemba: Hayi igrant asiyifumani ngoba zange ibhaliseke kakuhle. Senditsho ba zange kubhaliswe kuba kwacaca ukuba kudelayer izinto ezininzi ngoku akwabi sakwazeka ukuba sibhalise (isiXhosa). No we don't, we couldn't apply because they needed some documents.

Lelethu: Zeziphi izinto ezizakudingeka (isiXhosa) What documents did they need?

Sinethemba: Ikakhulu kwaye kwafunwa ideath certificate zikamama notata zabe bezingekho ngeloxesha, ngoku kwazanyanwa nazo ukuba zifumaneke zafumaneka sekukade kengoku akwabi sakwazeka ukubhalisa. Into endizoyenza ngoku ba ndifuna igrant funeka ndiyi aplayishele, ndizoqala ndidibane nabantu abayaziyo indlela yokuaplayisha, ukuba iplayishwa njani. Izokutshintsha kakhulu ke ulife wethu igrant if iye yafumaneka, ngoba ndiyaqonda ukuba izinto ezininzi ngekhe sibe sisufferisha xa ngaba ikho (isiXhosa). They wanted both my parent's death certificates and we didn't have them. We found the death certificates but we haven't applied yet. I am going to apply, but I need to find people that know how the process works. Life will change if we get the social grant, we won't suffer so much if we get it.

Shalom: I'd like to commend istrength salomntwana because on top of taking care of isiblings zakhe unakekela futhi umntana kasisi wakhe, usisi wakhe amshiyile. Which is another total case esingekhe siyi include in this part of the conversation, but what I would like to know is that how long does the process take ukuthi umuntu athole ifoster grant in as much that siyambona uSinethemba he's old enough,I know he's old enough ukuthi angakhona ukuthi anakekele ama siblings akhe (isiZulu). I'd like to commend this child's strength. On top of taking care of his siblings , he also has his sister's child who she abandoned. Which is another story, irrelevant to this part of the conversation. How long does the Foster Care Grant process take? We can see that Sinethemba is old enough to take care of his siblings.

Zukile: Okwangoku i-age a qualifier kuyo ngu18 years. Ukhona umthetho aba buzy nawo ozawuyehlisa la age yoba na baqualifier but inzima intoyokuba sithethe ngawo kuba awukagqitywa and asiyazi ukuba kuzakuphuma iziphumo zisithini kodwa ke usaxoxwa. Ngokomthetho bekumele ukuba ithatha iveki ezimbini, sinazo isystems esizenzayo esiqalayo ngoku ukuzi implementer ukwenzela ba athi umntu xa efika kusasa ezo applier by the time litshona ilanga abeseyazi whether I application yakhe yamkelekile or not .(isiXhosa) The qualifying age is 18 years. They are currently working on a law to decrease the qualifying age but we are not at liberty to talk about it because nothing has been finalized yet. According to the law it is supposed to take two weeks. We are currently implementing a system that will notify the applicant within 24 hours of whether or not their application has been approved.

Shalom: Ke kubantu ukuba na babone uSinethemba enesiblings zakhe behlupheka so they need help so ayikho enye indlela except for ukuthi umphakathi ngokwawo ubone? (isiZulu) Do you depend on the community to let you know that Sinethemba and his siblings are suffering and are in need of help? Is there no other way apart from the community intervening?

Zukile: Zininzi indlela esinokuzisebenzisa okokuqala yena mntu u affected yile meko nguye ozayo ngaphambili azosichazela ba imeko injena ndiya applier. Bakhona abantu abazamcebisa ba loluphi uhlobo lwe grant okufuneka ulu aplayele ukuze ube uyafumana into ezakuncedisa ba niphile endlini. Kwaye nonontlalontle bakwa social development kuba besebenza kwezi communities bayayazi imeko yekhala elithile ba injani bayakwazi no fast tracker ireport lena kwenzela sizokwazi (isiXhosa). There are many ways. Firstly, the affected party has to come forward and explain his situation. There are people who will advise him on which type of grant to apply for so that he can support his family. The social workers who work in these communities, know the living conditions in these homes, so they are able to fast track the report so we can speed up the application process.

Pholokgolo Ramothwala: (SeSotho) Can you tell us which grants young people qualify for? Like for example that family they all look like kids which are the grants that they should be looking out for, because I know there is a long list different grants.

Zukile: Ikhona igrant ekuthiwa yichild support grant le kuzakuncediswana nabantwana ngenxa ye age yabo bakwazi intoyokuba na ba  kwazi ukuphila  bafumane ifinacial assistance. And then ikhona nalena yentoyokubana yena njengokuba emdala phayana abathathe under i care yakhe, yile kuthiwa yiFoster Care so bayakwazi nokuyifumana leyo. Bakhona ke nenye indlela yokuba babekula makhaya agcina abantwana abazinkedama, elokhaya elo ibelilo elifumana isupport financially ukwenzela ba bakwazi ukuncedisana nabantwana. So ayinyanga indlela abanofumana ngayo igrant le (isiXhosa). There is the child support grant aimed at young children so that they can survive on financial assistance. Sinethemba as the eldest, can take his siblings under his care and get a Foster Care grant. The children can also be placed in an orphanage and the orphanage gets the money to support and take care of the children. There is more than one way to obtain a grant.

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) In the clip, their parents died in 2003 and its now 2008. While they are still trying to get this paper work sorted out what happens whilst they are still trying to find a copy of the married certificate and the ID.

Zukile: Ikhona iprocess encedisanayo ekuthiwa yi Social Relief of Distress ebekumele ukuba bayi apliyele. And lo process leyo ibanika inyanga ezintathu intoyokubana ngexesha besalinde I documents eziright from kwaHome Affairs babe bayancedakala in between ukwenzela ba si anticipater ke intoyokubana by the time iphela la 3 months zonke izinto zabo zizakube sezi in order bakwazi ke ngoku uku applier bafumane if baya qualifier for the relevant grant ezi besesithethe ngazo ngaphambili (isiXhosa). There is a process called the Social Relief of Distress they can apply for. This process gives them aid for 3 months while they wait for Home Affairs to process their application. We anticipate that after 3 months everything should be in order and they can get the relevant grant money they applied for if they qualify for it.

Luckyboy Mkhonzwane: Umbuzo bengiwubuzile mina ukuthi umntwana ne, if uyam fosterisha imali le yefoster care uyithola isikhathi esingakanani nokuthi i-amount yakhona kuba yimalini nje like roughly nje kuba yimalini etholakalayo ngenyanga (isiZulu). How long does a child get the Foster Care grant and how much is it per month?

Zukile: I Foster Care yiR650.00 ngenyanga ngomntwana ngamnye and ku14 years (isiXhosa). The Foster Care grant is R650.00 per month for each child and I think it is 14 years.

Shalom: Angithi sikhuluma ngendaba yefoster grant and ama application necriteria yakhona as well ilokunjana iSocial Relief grant as an alternative whilst besamele. Is there any other type of grant? Because ngathi ngikhe ngazwa ukuthi ichild support grant nayo iyasebenza in the interim whilst umuntu esamele ifoster grant ukuthi iphase, can you explain that process for us? (Isizulu) We spoke about the Foster Care grant and the application criteria as well as the Social Relief grant as alternative while they wait. Is there any other type of grant? I heard that the Child Support grant also helps in the interim while wait for the Foster Care grant to be approved.

Zukile: iChild Support grant imiqathango yokuba u qualifier ibabufana kunye nalena ye Foster Care. Apho yohluka khona ke yona intoyokubana yi R210 ngenyanga for umntana ngamnye, and funeka kubekhona umntwana kubekhona nomntu oyi primary care giver kulomntwana lona. And there are certain requirements efuneka bedibene nazo bezimeetile bona for example funeka ibe ngabalapha eMzantsi Afrika, funeka kubekhona neID funeka kubekhona ne report yonontlalontle echazayo lemeko neconfirmayo ukuba yes indeed lo mntana uya exist uphila phantsi kwezi meko (isiXhosa). The criteria for qualifying for the Child Support grant and the Foster Care grant are the same. The only difference is the Child Support grant is R210 per child per month. There has to be a child and a primary care giver. There are certain requirements that have to be met, you have to be a South African citizen with an ID book and a report from a social worker that states that the child exists and the conditions the child live in.

Shalom: Ninganyakazi sizobuya maduzane (isiZulu). Don't go away. We'll be back soon.

Shalom: Siyanamukela futhi kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Namhlanje sikhuluma ngezibonelo nangokuthi abantu abantulayo bangazithola kanjani. Akhe siye Kwazulu Natal sikhe sibone ushintsho emgomeni wezingane ukuthi sekwenze lwabalula ukuthi umntwana omdala akwazi ukuthatha abafowabo nodadewabo abancane abagcine futhi abanakekele babe umndeni futhi (isiZulu). Welcome back to Siyayinqoba Beat It! Today we're talking about social grants and how people in need can access them. Let's go to Kwazulu Natal and see how changes in the Child Act now make it possible for older children to adopt their younger siblings to keep their families together.

Voice over: Today we are going to Bombai to speak to Ncamisile who's trying to get child care grants for her brothers and sisters after her mom has died.

Similo: Ncami kwenzekalani kubazali bakho? (isiZulu) Ncami, what happened to your parents?

Ncamisile Shange: Ngafunda u6, ngithe sengifunda u6 walokho egula,egula egula  ke ma, ngafunda no7. Ngayeka kwa 7 ngenxa yokuthi wayesegula ebambeke kakhulu ngaphetha ngayeka ngahlala nay eke. Ok ngilokho ngimhambisa umamncane naye bamhambise silikho simshintshanisa sowu2 ukumhabisa kwaze kwafika leso sikhathi sokuthi ashone amaARV's engakawaphuzi (isiZulu). When I was in standard six my mother got sick. Her condition got worse and I had to drop out of school to take care of her. We kept taking her to the clinic until she passed away before she could take ARVs.

Similo: Isimo sokuhlala living conditions la endlini (isiZulu). Tell me about your living conditions.

Ncami: Thina kuma sibawu 4 umamncane naye unezakhe ingane eziwu 4 ngibe nezami eziwu 2 (isiZulu). There are four of us, my three siblings and I. Then there are my aunt's four children, and my two children.

Similo: Okunye okunje ngokufunda kweyingane nenzakanjani? (isiZulu) How to you afford to educate them?

Ncami: Umamncane yena ngeyakhe igrant ufundisa ingane zakhe. Mina ngeyam igrant akwazi ukukhona ukuthi ngifundise ingane zasekhaya ngayo, ngoba kufanele nginake leyam efundayo ngegrant yayo. Ngoba nalo angikwazi ngisho ukumsa ecreche ngoba ifika isize la ekhaya angikwazi ngisho ukwenzani ngayo (isiZulu). My aunt pays for her children's school fees with her grant money. I can't pay for my siblings with my money because I have to pay for my own child's education with her grant money. I can't afford to send my youngest to crèche, I use all the money for household upkeep and I'm left with nothing.

Ncami: SisLiffie njengokuba ngize lana ngize lana ngoba ngicela ukuthi usisize mayelana nengane zasekhaya ukuthi zikwazi ukuthola igrant njengokuba singasenawo uma. Manje bengicela usizo lwakho wean ukuthi ungangisiza kanjani (isiZulu). I'm here to ask for your help regarding my two siblings to access a grant as we no longer have a mother. How can you help me?

Liffie Mazibuko: Unga aplayela for iFoster Care grant but uzokwazi ukuba aplayela wena njengo sisi wabo omdala. I ID lo omdala lo ongenayo iID nalo omncane ungenaso icertificate. Konje uthe uneminyaka emingaki? Njengoba una20 ke ngenhlanhla sesinenhlanhla because esiku encourager kakhuku iAct eku encourager kakhulu ukuze kukuthi njengoba kuqala bekufanele ube no21, njengoba manje isiqala ku18. Wazi ukuthi from 18 upwards uthole igrant benzela ukuthi nihlale within the community ningasuswa ngoba kuqala bekufanele kuze kufunwe umuntu maybe nize ni remove because akekho umuntu omdala niswe kwichildrens home which is wrong. So ku encourager ukuthi nihlale within the community nihlale ningumndeni together ningohlukaniswa kumndeni wenu (isiZulu). You can apply for a Foster Care grant as their older sister. You need to bring an I.D. and your siblings birth certificates. How old are you? If you are 20 years old, you are lucky because before the Act was changed you had to be 21 years old, now it starts at 18 years so that you can stay in your community. Before they had to look for a guardian and the eldest would be removed and sent to a children's home, which is wrong. So it's encouraged that you stay in your community as a family and not be separated.

Similo: Ma ungayithola le grant Ncami ubona ukuthi ubomi bakho how would it change? (isiZulu) Do you think the Foster Care grant would make your life easier?

Ncami: Uma sengathiwa le grant le yeFoster Care ngiyayithola ngingasizakala kakhulu, ngoba ngingakwazi ukuthi ngifundise ingane zasekhaya ngayo ngikwazi nokubathengela izinto zokugqoka nje nala endlini ngikwazi ukuthi ngibanikeze abayidingayo njenge ngane zonke ezinabazali (isiZulu). If I could get the Foster Care grant I would be able to send my siblings to school, buy clothes and whatever is needed in the house.

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) What happens in cases where you find that the father is not known. The grandmother is the one who takes care of the children.

Zukile: Kukhona isections zomthetho eziqulunqwayo kodwa ke in this case bazingekagqitywa iaffidavit iyasinceda kulapho uzakubeka khona imeko yakho. Yentoyokubana le into eniyifunayo andikwazi ukuninika ngalendlela nalendlela uzakuyichaza kwiAffidavit which is only valid if it sworn in front of a Commissioner of Oath (isiXhosa). There are sections of the law that we are still amending, pending finalizing the changes we use the affidavit. This is where you will explain the difficulties you experience. The affidavit is only valid if it is sworn in front of a Commissioner of Oaths.

Busi Maqungo: Uyakwazi nokuba uye epolice station uyoyenza khona. Abanye abantu bayakwazi because siyayazi intoyokubana abanye Bantu bakude nasezidolophini apho banokufikelela lula kwipolice stations for uyokwenza ilantuka iaffidavit khona, bayakwazi intoyokubana zibekhona iinkosi ezibekiweyo ezi appointed ba mayibezizo ezikwaziyo ukuba zenze iaffidavit zibe nestamp ezisifakayo. Then you can easily take that nantsika that affidavit uyise kwaSASSA (isiXhosa). They can make an affidavit at a police station. Some people live in villages with no police stations or the police station is too far. There are chiefs appointed that can give you an affidavit and a stamp. Then you can take that affidavit to SASSA.

Zukile: You'll note intoyokubana xa uyiregistered Commissioner of Oaths uba nenambara oyinikwayo which must reflect pha kwiAffidavit intoyokubana mna ndinguZukile Kani and ndiyiCommissioner of Oaths nantsi inamba yam efuneka ireflectile kwenzela nathi sizokwazi ukwenza i-referrals. Because uya understander intoyokubana kulula these days ukwenza istamps nam ndingavela ndiyokwenza istamp phayana although I'm not even sworn in as a Commissioner of Oaths. So kuyanyanzeleka ukuba sibe nesafety measures esizibekayo, so sisayi varifier nathi lo information to check the validity yayo but yamkelekile ngolohlobo mama intoyokubana kwankosi leyo igunyazisiweyo intoyokubana ifungise abantu as in Commissioner then iyavumeleka (isiXhosa). When you are a registered Commissioner of Oaths, you get a certain number which must reflect on the affidavit. It has to state that I'm Zukile Kani, I'm a Commissioner of Oaths and this is my number. All those details have to reflect on the affidavit so that we can do our referral. We all know that these days anybody can have a stamp. I can have a stamp even though I'm not sworn as a Commissioner of Oaths. We take safety measures to verify the validity of the affidavit. If the chief has been given that authority we do accept the affidavit.

Luckyboy Mkhonzwane: Ngiyalahleka kancane la nakhona umuntu ongafundanga kuyaphi ukuthi iAffidavit le iba yini? uhlobo lwestatement esithize or yincwadi ethize ebhalwayo ebonisa ubufakazi nje? uma ungangichazela ukuba iyini yona kahle kahle iAffidavit? (isiZulu). What exactly is an affidavit? Is it a statement or a document presented as evidence? Could you please explain that?

Zukile: Ok now any form of igrant ibanemiqathango ebekwayo uthi ukuze uyifumane funeka uze nale documentation okanye nale report. Now if uya aplaya kukhona I reports ongakwaziyo ukuza nazo or kukhona mhlawumbi certain documentation ongakwazi ukuza nazo. Kulapho ke ngoku uyichaza khona imeko yakho intoyokubana kulomqathango andikwazi kuwu meet u-requirement because of A,B,C,D,E. And then okwesibini nalena andikwazi kuyi meet because of ABCD, kulapho uchaza khona imeko yakho wena and then ke ngoku uye phambi komntu kweCommissioner apho uzakuyifungela intoyokubana lento ndiyichaze apha iyinyaniso (isiXhosa). There are certain requirements for any form of grant. There is certain documentation that you will need. If you apply and you don't have some of the documents that are required, you need the affidavit to state that you can't meet some of the requirements. Then you go to the Commissioner of Oaths and swear that the information is true.

Shalom: Makhe sithathe ikhefu sizobuya khona manje (isiZulu). We're taking a quick break. Be back now.

Shalom: Siyanamukela futhi kuSiyayinqoba Beat It! Namhlanje sikhuluma ngezibonelo zikarhulumeni, njengoba kunezingane ezingaphezulu kwezinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu. Baningi abantu okuzofuneka bathathe lezi ntandane ngokusethemthweni njengezabo. Akhe siye eMpumalanga Koloni manje sihlangane nomunye umuntu osekutholile lokhu njengomvuzo omnandi (isiZulu). Welcome back to Siyayinqoba Beat It! Today we're discussing social grants. With over 1.3 million orphans in our country, many more people are going to have to foster orphans. Let's go to Eastern Cape and meet someone who has found this a rewarding experience.

Lelethu: SiseNew Brighton eBhayi kwikhaya lika Sisi Nomvuzo nobhuti Sicelo aba-adopt uSiphosethu ophila nentsholongwane kagawulayo (isiXhosa). We're in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, at Nomvuzo and Sicelo's home.

Nomvuzo Matikinca: USiphosethu ndiqale ukumazi esemncimnci pha mhlawumbi koma 3years, xa ndigqitha ndihamba indlela zam ndisiya pha emzini wam. Esenomamakhe umama wakhe esaphila ngoko. Kwalile uSiphosethu pha ngo2003 waswelekelwa ngumama wakhe. Siphosethu uphi kwathiwa he besiba sakuxelela umntana wakho akekho ugule gqitha ndileqise apha esibhedlela ndifike ekhona ndihambe nosister wam andikhaphe ndimphathele into zokutya ke. Ndifike apha caba lomntana apha ezinesini ubalise yonke imbilini yokuba mna ndihlala ngoluhlobo noluhlobo etsho pha kokwabo. Ndifike kuthiwa ke heyi sizakusa kwikhaya labantwana okanye sakufuna umntu onokuthi akugcine akuthathe. Ndithi hayi nesi ndinikeni ngoba ndiyamthanda sendimqhelile ngoba ngumntana othumakalayo bendithuma yena. Ndamthatha ezinesini uSiphosethu wahlala kum endlini ndamxelela usisi wakhe ba uzakuhlala apha kum (isiXhosa). I first met Siphosethu when he was 3 years old, when I visited my in-laws. His mother passed away in 2003. When I got to his house and they told me he got sick and was taken to hospital, when I arrived at the hospital he had told the nurses about his situation. The nurses told me he was going to be put up for adoption. I told them I would adopt him because I love him. I took him from the hospital and he's been living with me ever since.

Lelethu: Ingaba uSiphosethu uyayifumana na igrant? (isiXhosa) Does he receive a social grant?

Nomvuzo: Ifoster Care ndiqale ukuyifumana ngo 2004 uSiphosethu senonyaka ehlala aphakum. IFoster Care ndiyacinga ukuba yiR640 or R690. Njengoko senditshilo bhuti imali yegrant ayikwazi kuzonela imfuno zikaSiphosethu. USiphosethu ngumntana oyinkwenkwe uyambona umntana oyinkwenkwe nalapha ko 10years. Kukho eziMile kukho eziNike kukho eziAddidas into mhlawumbi siyekwindawo yeteki ndifike iteki isithi R300 and nto. Abe ndiqonda ba eyi lo mntana leteki ukhule ehlupheke kakhulu ndifika umntana egula, ndifuna onwabe aneliseke ndithi mntanam yithathe lateki. Abe namaxesha.... (isiXhosa). I started receiving the Foster Care money in 2004 when Siphosethu first lived with us. The Foster Care grant is about R640 or R690. As I've said before, the Social grant money we receive for him is not enough. As you can see, he gets peer pressure from his friends to have the latest name brands. Sometimes we go shopping for shoes, and to my surprise these things cost close to R300. I would think to myself the child has grown up in such poverty, then I'd force myself to buy it for him.

Siphosethu Warrington: Ndithi hayi mama ngoba ndizakutya ndihluthe ndikwazi nam ufumana ivitamins (isiXhosa). I love planting vegetables in the garden. It helps me get the vitamins I need.

Nomvuzo: Awukwazi, ngoba uSiphosethu ndimthatha njenomntana ozalwa ndim andinayo lento ba xa egula ndingabinankathalo ukhe ubone. Enye into andinabunzima bokuba uyagula ikopi yakhe endlini mayibe yodwa akanakunditatsha akanakuhlala ebhedini yam ezozinto andinamsebenzi tu nazo. Kuxa egula qha ndiqonde ukuba eyi amayeza athile ndiyawafuna ukhe ubone nento zo booster umzimba okokuba afumane abooster umzimba wakhe (isiXhosa). I treat Siphosethu as my own child, not like someone I've adopted. In this house, we do not discriminate against him just because he has HIV.

Nokubonga Yawa: Bhuti Zukile mna umbuzo wam ngowokubana like lo mama endimvayo osandothetha ngoku ukubana uthetha ngento ye-adpotion aphinde athethe ngento ye-Foster Care ndicela mna undohlukanisele ukubana yintoni umahluko phakathi kwezizinto ezimbini? (isiXhosa) Zukile, my question is as follows. The woman in the insert talks about adoption and foster care. Can you tell me the difference between the two?

Zukile: Iprocess ye adoption yohlukile kwiprocess yeFoster Care. In that xa u-adopt umntana uyamthatha abe ngowakho and the process iye ihambe ke through icourts and stuff. And also there's i-involvement kaSocial development where bajonga imeko yalapha ekhaya ba is it really condusive for ukukhulisa umntana because the main idea is to ensure that there is a safer environment for the child to grow in. And once you've adopted umntana successfully abengowakho you don't qualify for igrant. Now iFoster Care grant yile yentokubana awungomzali womntana kukho ingxaki ezikhoyo kwikhaya lomntana kwi-environment apho umama notata kwelikhaya ngabantu abasoloko bexabana bebethana ayincedisani nathi xa injalo. Kuyanyanzeleka sizijongile imeko zekhaya eli sizakusa kulo umntana (isiXhosa). The adoption process is different to foster care. When you adopt, you take the child as your own. The process is done through the courts with the involvement of social development. They look at whether or not the home is condusive to raise the child. The main idea is to ensure that the child has a safe environment to grow up in. Once you have successfully adopted the child you don't qualify for a grant. The Foster Care grant applies when you are not the child's parents and there are problems in the child's home. The parents constantly fight. So it's important for us to look at the conditions of the home we're placing the child in.

Busi: Usisi Nomvuzo nobhuti Sicelo phayana bamthathile ulomntana phayana andithi bamthathe under icala lefoster care right abam-adoptanga but ke ufumana leR650 ubuthetha ngayo. Ufumanisa intoyokubana ngoku ngalemali kaSiphosethu ayifumanayo ayanelanga ngoba on top of that kuyaphinda kaloku mhlawumbi kubekhona nezinye izinto ungumntana oHIV positive kananjalo. Ingaba mhlawumbi lukhona olunye uhlobo I'm not sure ba apho, likhona olunye uhlobo lwegrant anokuthi alufumane kwimeko elwalahlobo? (isiXhosa). Nomvuzo and Sicelo are fostering Sinethemba. He gets R650 a month, you may find that the money he gets is not enough. There are things to take into consideration. He is HIV positive. Is there another type of grant that can assist him?

Zukile: Eziba besikhe satsho before imali esibanayo ayizaneli imfuno zethu so kuyanyanzeleka intoyokubana kobo bunconywana sinabo sizame uku prioritise intoyokubana yeyiphi ebaluleke ukogqitha enye and ngokomthetho ke umthetho usibekela intoyokubana xa sibhatala a certain type of grant kukho imali ethile esingenakugqitha kuyo, that is the unfortunate reality. However as ba ubuza intoyokubana ngenxa yesigulo sakhe umntana depending on isigulo sakhe ba ukweyiphi na imeko if mhlawumbi ufikelela kwimeko yokubana akhonto anokuzenzela yona mhlawumbi kuzafuneka ene full time nurse and stuff. There are certain types of grants that assist intoyokubana akwazi ufumana ifull time mother ezamjonga umntana lona ngokwemeko yempilo yakhe but then again if kengoku mhlawumbi impilo yakhe ayide ifikelele kwi level yentokubana abe kunideka an additional lantuka izakuphelela kule maximum kula Foster Care njengokuba besithethile (isiXhosa). As we said before, the money we have doesn't fulfill our needs, so we need to prioritize. We have to establish which need is more important. The law stipulates the amount of money for each grant and we can't exceed that. That is unfortunate reality. However, it depends on the child's illness or the condition he is in. If he can't do anything for himself and needs a full-time nurse, there are certain types of grants that can assist him. If he doesn't need a nurse he only gets the Foster Care grant.

Pholokgolo: (SeSotho) The important thing I noticed from the insert is that Foster Care grants do help. The child needed shoes and the money was being used on the child. It's important that more people become aware of the Foster Care grant and especially how it works and how you can get access to it.

Shalom: Sekuvumelekile manje ukuthi umuntu oneminyaka eyishumi nesishakalolunye akwazi ukuthatha ngokusemthethweni abafowabo nodadewabo kuze bakwazi ukuthola izibonelo zikarhulumeni uma abazali besebeshonile. Uma abazali sebeshonile uma ungenayo incwadi yokuzalwa noma death certificate yabazali bakho ungenza incwadi efungelwe phecelezi affidavit. Engavumeleka esikhundleni sezincwadi ezijwayelekile. Siyabonga bakwethu! Kusho lukhulu kithi ukuzwa ngani. Sinxusa ukuba nisithumele izincwadi zenu nenifisa ukuphawula ngako kuleli kheli elivela kumabonakude manje. Kuze kube ngalesosikhathi. Size sibonane ngeviki elizayo futhi. Nisale kahle emakhaya. (SeSotho) (isiZulu). It's now possible for young people of 18 years old to formally adopt their siblings so they can get a Foster Care grant after their parents have died. If you don't have birth certificate or death certificates of your parents, you can make a sworn statement called an affidavit that will be accepted in place of these documents. Thanks guys! We love haring from you. Drop us a line at the details on your screen now. That's it for today's show. Protect yourself Protect others. Join us again next week. Goodbye!

Support group: Goodbye!