The City of Johannesburg today announced that it will embark on a major public participation process which will culminate in the review of policies that affect its programmes on Gender, Youth, Disability (GeYoDi), Expanded Social Package (ESP)and Substance Abuse. This policy review public participation process starts on Friday, 20 November.
The review follows the City Council’s decision in October 2020 which approved various draft policies and mandated the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development, Councillor Eunice Mgcina to engage with all relevant stakeholders to obtain comments and inputs on these policies.
“The City’s Department of Social Development has already circulated these policies internally to other Departments and Entities in the City for comment, which resulted in the current draft policies, which are now ready for public consultation.
“The Youth draft Policy identifies that youth development is a transversal program which cuts across every department and entity in the City and it identifies several programs to support this transversal approach (Job Creation Programs, Poverty Alleviation Programs, Skills Development Programs, Health and Environment Programs, Youth Moral Regeneration Programs, etc.),” said MMC Mgcina.
MMC Mgcina added that the Gender Draft Policy unified Gender issues which were now elevated and required action and that the policy review was therefore non-negotiable. Previously the policy focused on women development, whereas the current draft policy focuses on gender, including issues for both men and women.
She further said that while the draft policy on People with Disability (PWD) focused on the removal of discriminatory barriers through disability-specific measures that perpetuated segregation of persons with disabilities; the Expanded Social Package draft Policy identified that the City continued to be characterised by a high poverty rate which is above 25%.
“The City’s poor and marginalised residents are most vulnerable to social, economic, and physical challenges, but, at the same time they are most likely to experience challenges to access the support they need.
“The Substance Abuse Draft Policy engages in improved quality of life for people living in and around the City and it also engages in efficient and effective substance abuse prevention and early intervention programmes in the community,” said MMC Mgcina.
She further added that the policy review project is intended to assist the City to attain its strategic alignment of responding to the City‘s Growth and Development Strategy.
“I urge residents and stakeholders, individuals, NGOs, private and business sector to familiarise themselves and engage with the draft policies as the responsibility of policy formulation is a joint effort between the City, the public and business.
“I cannot over-emphasise that this is a crucial process for all stakeholders which require their full participation as it assures their importance in the decision-making about the future of the City,” said MMC Mgcina.
The policies can be accessed via the following link:
https://www.joburg.org.za/documents_/Pages/Key%20Documents/policies/Health%20%ef%bc%86%20Social%20Development/Health-%ef%bc%86-Social-Development.aspx
Hard copies of the policies can also be obtained at the City’s Social Development Regional Offices, across all 7 Regions where comments boxes will be available.
Ends.
Issued by the City of Joburg’s MMC for Health and Social Development, Cllr Eunice Mgcina.
For more information contact:
Rich Hlatshwayo
Media Liaison Specialist: Mayoral Communications
Tel: 083 702 7394
Themba@joburg.org.za
Or
Lulama Luti
Deputy Director: Communications and Stakeholder Management
Tel: 083 702 4551
Email: LulamaLu@joburg.org.za
