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The launch of a report into Social Exclusion and Poverty Traps among Children in South Africa by the South African Human Rights Commission today shows that there are persistent problems with child poverty in the country. In this Youth Month, this report is a serious indictment of living conditions in the country. It is simply not acceptable that 40% of the children are living in poverty.

We cannot deny that, 20 years after democracy, there are still problems that must be urgently addressed. The 20 year celebrations have, in fact, been a hollow event for the vast majority, especially children. As a social democratic party, COPE has always been of the view that South Africa deserves better. It is through the elimination of poverty and the greater inclusivity of society that we can truly take the country forward. We must strive for positive freedoms to be enhanced. We cannot be satisfied with small improvements here and there.

What we see in this report is repeated in the results of the Annual National Assessment results. We must begin to improve both access to and quality of education.

The state is betraying the future of our country by failing our children. In our view, the ruling party is reinforcing poverty by serving its narrow political interests and keeping people dependent upon the state. Government must move away from short-term EPWP to focus decent jobs for parents. As COPE we have been urging government to turn rhetoric into real jobs.

We will call for Parliament and provincial Legislatures to debate this matter. Civil society, especially churches, NGOs and business representatives, must join us in finding solutions for these problems within the context of the National Development Plan. Government fails to heed the warnings in the Diagnostic Report of the National Development Plan and the National Development Plan itself. Here we have more confirmation from yet another independent institution. What more does government want to hear before it will draft and implement proper policies?