As a build up to Social Development month in October, the deputy minister of Social Development, Mme Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu and the MEC of Social Development in Mpumalanga Ms. Lindiwe Ntshalintshali in partnership with the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), will hand over the first phase of the Hlayisani Centre of Hope – a Disability Centre which will benefit the community of Khumbula Village and the Mpumalanga Province at large.

Khumbula Village has a number of disabled children some in need of care, support and protection. The centre which operates as a Non-Profit Organisation, approached NLC to assist with the construction of a multipurpose disability centre of excellence. The centre will be utilised for rehabilitation, early childhood development, sports and recreation as well as skills development for children and young people with disabilities.  It is the first of its kind in Mpumalanga.

During Social Development month, the department seeks to highlight its commitment as it aims to emphasise on the measures taken by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Development Agency (NDA) to improve the living conditions of South Africans by promoting access to social development services.

The department provides services to people with disabilities including developing the necessary policies, mainstreaming disability in the department’s programmes and implementing empowerment and awareness-raising projects in line with the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Source: Government of South Africa