The impact of the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (1999) on service delivery in Nellmapius, Gauteng Province

Abstract

The Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services in South Africa (1999:15), which is currently under revision, aims to address and eliminate the current imbalances in service delivery by promoting equitable distribution of finances, services and infrastructure for all people in need of social services. In order to achieve these aims, the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services (hereafter referred to as the Financing Policy) proposes a shift in service delivery from a remedial approach towards a developmental focus by 2004. As a social worker working in communities with other social service providers at grass-roots level, the researcher found little evidence that transformation to developmental welfare services was indeed taking place. Service providers working in communities do not know how to transform their services. The aim of this research study was to evaluate the impact of the Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services on service delivery in the Nellmapius community in the Gauteng Province. This research study formed part of a team research where the impact of the Financing Policy was studied in three different communities in the Gauteng Province. The researcher utilized a combined research approach whereby the qualitative research approach was more dominant than the quantitative approach. The researcher utilized a personal administrated questionnaire (quantitative) with the service providers working in Nellmapius. Focus group discussions (qualitative) were conducted with service beneficiaries in Nellmapius. From the research findings derived out of the data analysis, the researcher was able to made valuable recommendations with regard to the improvement of service delivery at grass-roots level. The final recommendation of this study is to integrate the findings of this study with the findings of the other three studies (respectively in Tembisa and Atteridgeville). This integration could then be utilized as a policy analysis towards writing the new planned policies to address funding, transformation and monitoring of social welfare services in South Africa.