Cape town: Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has laid out a firm and focused roadmap for the department, telling Parliament that the Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan being tabled is not 'a wishlist' but a policy-driven programme aimed at driving institutional change.
According to South African Government News Agency, Chikunga presented the department's five-year Strategic Plan to the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, emphasizing that the plan is guided by constitutional responsibility and not rhetoric. She stated, 'We are not presenting a wishlist. We are presenting a focused, policy-driven programme of work. And we welcome your oversight, because it helps sharpen our ability to deliver.'
The Minister stressed that the plan is crafted around three core strategic areas, including strengthening the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, responding more directly to youth unemployment and exclusion, and building a truly inclusive state for persons with disabilities. 'This five-year Strategic Plan is not just an internal planning document. It is our contract with the people of South Africa, a commitment to act with focus, discipline, and integrity in advancing their constitutional rights,' she told the Portfolio Committee.
On the issue of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), the Minister said the department is moving from 'crisis response to institutional permanence,' with efforts underway to finalize the appointment of members to the National Council on GBVF. Once established, the Council will serve as a key anchor in implementing the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF. 'In the interim, the department is strengthening the Technical Task Team, aligning sector departments behind the NSP priorities, and expanding provincial implementation support - with a specific focus on prevention, justice, psychosocial services, and the economic empowerment of survivors,' Chikunga said.
On youth development, she highlighted the revitalization of the National Youth Machinery and the alignment of National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) support with initiatives such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention and the National Pathway Management Network. Regarding disability rights, the department is enhancing the Disability Rights Machinery, rolling out infrastructure audits to promote universal design, and working with municipalities to improve accessibility.
Chikunga revealed that the department will push forward with four key Bills during the current Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) period. These include the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) Bill, the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, and the South African Youth Development Bill. 'One of the most powerful tools at our disposal is the ability to legislate to move from policy intent to enforceable obligation. The test of any legislative agenda is not how many laws we pass but how well we implement them,' she said.
Chikunga underscored the need for strengthened coordination and evidence-based delivery, with a plan to embed gender, youth, and disability imperatives in planning and budgeting frameworks across departments. She outlined ongoing work with Stats SA, Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), and other sector partners to strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems, track disaggregated data, and ensure community-level feedback informs decision-making. 'Our aim is to move from episodic coordination to institutional discipline. From fragmented responses to coherent delivery. Because ultimately, our success will not be judged by what we announce but by what we achieve,' she added.
Chikunga also acknowledged the gravity of the issues at hand, including youth unemployment, violence against women, and systemic exclusion of persons with disabilities. 'We are not starting from zero. We are building on foundations - some strong, some uneven - and we intend to accelerate what works, correct what doesn't, and ensure that our programmes are matched by institutional capability. We do not take this space for granted. It is a moment of reflection, of accountability, and of alignment between the work we do as a department and the constitutional responsibilities that we collectively carry,' she said.
