Deputy Minister of DSD - Mr Ganief Hendricks

13/12/2025

Goeie More, Good Morning, Molweni
I, as the Department of Social Development’s Deputy Minister, am extremely happy to re-join you and be with you all; on an earlier occasion this year, I was here to be with the Sarepta youth; this time round I am here with those who are becoming tomorrow’s youth and Sarepta’s young adults.
Cllr Wouter, caregivers, and everyone, our communities and their children need to be given the necessary attention, they should be honoured, and they indeed deserve to be served well. We have all gathered here this morning to show our children that we truly care for them, that we are deeply concerned about their social welfare, and we love each of them dearly.
While we are aware that some of them in our midst come from broken homes, others come from dysfunctional environments, and smaller numbers hail from homeless areas, we cannot ignore them. In other words, we cannot overlook their presence and we should not disregard their status in our community. Each and every child is important in our homes, in our communities, and in our nation.
Before I, however, address you on your importance my dear children, let me inform you that my status changed over the years: I was first a little boy, then became a young man, and then an adult. When I reached adulthood, I became a father after I married; then I became a grandfather when one of my children got married and had new born babies. And later I became a great-grandfather. So I am standing here and speaking to you as a great-grandfather.

So, you might want to ask me: what does it feel to be a great-grandfather and how do you carry that title when you meet us as children? Though I do not intend to answer the question, but I want to say that I feel good when my grand children talk to me knowing how I am related to them. I feel honoured when they show me respect; and I feel very pleased when they address me as their grandfather. I am waiting for my great-grand child to call me great-grand father. Now, I look at you and see you as my great-grand children.

I have thus joined the Counsellor and Ms. Elvaresia (and her team) of LoveThyNeighbour Foundation as well as the caregivers and parents to honour you, to treat you well, and to express our love to you all. For each of you belong to our community and to our nation. Bear in mind that you were all born in this community and each of you are the future of this community.

Let me share with you my dear children a few lessons that you should never forget and take with you in life wherever you go, wherever you are, and with whomsoever you mix. But let me ask you a question as small as you are: What are some of the ten commandments that GOD taught Moses who is God’s prophet? Let me repeat some of them for you and try and remember them as you return home later:

• You shall have no other gods but GOD (alone)
• Do not take God’s name in vain
• Honour your parents/elders
• You shall not steal
• You shall not murder
Now when you and I look at each of these important teachings, you and I will learn how significant it is to worship God alone; you and I will get to know that we should not use God’s name in vain; you and I should always honour our parents and our elders; and you and I should not take anything from anyone that does not belong to us; and you and I should not take someone’s life.

You and I should respect our elders, you and I should protect one another; you and I should be honest and not tell a lie; you and I should keep safe what does not belong to us; and you and I should not bully or hurt others. My dear children you might have heard on the radio or seen on television that our nation observes the 16 Days of activism and these lessons that you were reminded of forms part of that activism: we should not abuse another, we should not hit one another, and we should show respect and treat one another well.

Let us remember that God watches over us for we are all created by God; and whatever good we do, God will bless us. So, if you show respect to you mother or father, then God will indeed reward you; but if you hurt them or use foul language when speaking to them or ill-treat them, then do not expect to get a reward. As we enter into the Christmas season, let us remain in a joyous mood and experience the blessed spirit by showing our respect to everyone and everything.

Thank you, Dankie. Terima Kasih #

13/12/2025

Deputy Minister Hendricks Honours Sarepta Children and Reaffirms Commitment to their Care and Dignity
• Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks reaffirmed that every child, regardless of background, deserves dignity, protection and a sense of belonging within their community.
• He urged children to respect their parents and elders, emphasising that strong families are the foundation of safe and caring communities.
• The Deputy Minister linked everyday values of respect and kindness to the national 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks, joined caregivers, parents, community leaders and local organisations in Sarepta to honour children and reaffirm government’s commitment to their care, protection and social wellbeing.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Minister Hendricks said he was pleased to return to Sarepta, having earlier engaged with youth in the area, and now standing alongside children who represent the future generation of the community.
“Our communities and their children deserve attention, honour and good service,” he said. “We are gathered here to show our children that we care deeply about them, that we are concerned about their social welfare, and that they are loved.”
He acknowledged that some children come from broken homes, dysfunctional family environments or experiences of homelessness, but stressed that this must never define their worth or place in society.
“Each and every child is important in our homes, in our communities and in our nation,” he said.
A message across generations
Speaking from personal experience, the Deputy Minister shared reflections on his life journey, noting that he addressed the children not only as a public representative but also as a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
“When I look at you, I see my great-grandchildren,” he said, explaining that respect between generations is central to building strong families and stable communities.
He urged children to show respect to their parents and elders, reminding them that families thrive when children listen, care and honour those who raise and guide them.
“Respect for your parents and elders is not only about good manners,” he said. “It is about building families that are loving, safe and supportive.”
Instilling values of care and non-violence
Deputy Minister Hendricks also spoke to children about the importance of honesty, kindness and protecting one another, cautioning against bullying, violence and abuse.
He linked these values to South Africa’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, noting that ending violence begins with how children learn to treat others at home, at school and in their communities.
“We should not hurt one another, we should not abuse one another, and we should treat each other with respect,” he said.
He emphasised that respecting parents, elders and peers is a practical way of building safer communities and preventing violence before it takes root.
Building a caring future
The Deputy Minister thanked caregivers, parents, and organisations such as the Love Thy Neighbour Foundation for their role in nurturing children and providing support to families.
As the festive season approaches, he encouraged children and families to carry forward the spirit of respect, compassion and care.
“When we treat our parents, elders and one another with dignity, we strengthen our communities and our country,” he said.
The engagement reinforced the message that protecting children and strengthening families is a shared responsibility, requiring continued collaboration among communities, caregivers, and government to ensure that every child grows up feeling valued, protected, and respected.

28/11/2025

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27/11/2025

Speaking at the closing of the 4th CDA Biennial Substance and Alcohol Abuse Summit held in Gauteng on the 27th of November, 17-year old Oratile P**e from Hoerskool Elspark said their commission’s message is clear. “As children, we are SUPPOSED to be heard. We are tired, as the youth, of listening to people talking about strategies that are about us TO us. We do not get involved in decision making. The Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (Bela Bill), for example, does not provide safe spaces for us. We, as the youth, need to have the opportunity to exercise our right to contribute directly to the amendments of the Drug and Illicit Laws and Acts because as it stands, they do not enforce consequences to drug traffickers,” she said. The Summit was opened by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks on 26 November.

22/11/2025

The GCIS - SA Government is currently live with the G20 Leaders’ Summit South Africa 2025.
Please access the broadcast using the links below:

Main Stream: https://shorturl.at/7iExR

Backup Stream: http://gcis.listen2myshow.com

11/11/2025

Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks, Launch of the APD-NMB Textile Factory and Provincial Mentorship and Coaching Programme

Monday, 10 November 2025 | Gqeberha, Eastern Cape Province
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Programme Director; Mr M. Bavuma;
Executive Mayor, Councillor Babalwa Lobishe;
MEC for Social Development in the Eastern Cape, Ms Bukiwe Fanta;
Leadership and staff of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality;
Representatives from the National and Provincial Departments of Social Development;
Distinguished guests from the private sector, including the Foschini Group;
Representatives from protective workshops across the province;
Persons with disabilities, parents, and community leaders;
Members of the media;
Ladies and gentlemen;

Good Day - Goeie Dag - Molweni!

It is a true honor to be here in Nelson Mandela Bay for this significant event - the official inauguration of the Association for Persons with Disabilities and Nelson Mandela Bay Textile Factory.

Today’s engagement is tailored for the launch of protective workshop for the benefit of persons with disabilities, here in the Eastern Cape Province. This gathering coincides with Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM), a vital campaign for us to renew our dedication to fostering a society where individuals with disabilities are acknowledged as equal members and active contributors to our economy.

In line with this month-long DRAM campaign, which unfolds under the theme: “Creating Strategic Multisectoral Partnerships for a Disability-Inclusive Society”; we are celebrating the opening of the Association for Persons with Disabilities-Nelson Mandela Bay (APD-NMB) Textile Factory.

This is a shining example of innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity that showcases the remarkable achievements which is made possible when government, civil organizations, and the private sector unite.

It is through this initiative the launch would facilitate knowledge exchange, offer business mentorship, and provide practical skill transfer to emerging workshops. Such step is envisaged at building a network of stronger, more resilient entities dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities.

Programme Director

The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development oversees 25 protective workshops that offer psychosocial support, skill-building opportunities, and avenues for economic involvement for persons with disabilities. However, these workshops find themselves at varying developmental stages.

This comes as a boot towards the country’s economic development and mental wellness for persons with disabilities.

Although some of these workshops achieved self-sufficiency, others encounter hurdles in the form of; insufficient infrastructure and equipment, a lack of skilled staff; unreliable funding and support, absence of mentorship and business acumen.

Out of the 25 workshops, the APD-NMB workshop stands out as one of the most exemplary models in the country. It is unique as it strikes a balance between social impact and business viability through a 50/50 approach that combines charitable goals with commercial success.

By tapping into the experience and expertise of APD-NMB workshop, we are pushing for emulation and empowering of other protective workshops to attain similar achievements.

Ladies and gentlemen

The establishment of this Textile Factory transcends mere production as it embodies aspirations, prospects, and respect. This facility is anticipated to generate 200 new job opportunities, with 60 percent dedicated to individuals with disabilities, including, parents of children with disabilities, and members of underprivileged communities.

By collaborating with the Foschini Group, the factory is bridging social entrepreneurship with corporate value chains, thus ensuring that inclusion for persons with disabilities lead to genuine and sustainable employment. This effort demonstrates social progress which is not gained through charity, but empowerment, skill development, and teamwork.

Under the seventh administration of a democratic government, the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) was adopted with the following three key strategic priorities, namely:

 Drive inclusive growth and job creation;
 Reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living; and
 Building of a capable, ethical and developmental state.

The APD-NMB Textile Factory have a significant role to play towards realising these MTDP strategic priorities as it is targeting at empowering individuals with disabilities through economic means.

Programme Director

On a long-term basis, the Textile Factory seeks to achieve the following:

 To introduce the Provincial Mentorship and Coaching Program aimed at assisting emerging protective workshops;
 To highlight APD-NMB’s approach to merging business sustainability with social good;
 To enhance collaboration among government sectors, private businesses, and community organizations; and
 To gather resources and commitments that will secure the long-term viability of this initiative.

This achievement would not have been feasible without collaboration. We appreciate the teamwork of the National and Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Social Development, APD-NMB, the Foschini Group.

Such collaborations reflect our collective national goal to foster inclusive development, alleviate poverty, and ensure that persons with disabilities engage meaningfully in the economic landscape. Through mentorship, collective learning, and partnership, we can establish a network of protective workshops that are independent, innovative, and sustainable.

Going forward, an expectation is to see a significant result and progress, such as a strengthened ability of protective workshops to provide ongoing services.
The generation of job opportunities for persons with disabilities, their families, improved access to skill development and job prospects and a model that can be duplicated and expanded throughout all provinces.

What is encouraging is that this initiative embodies more than just a project as it represents a movement towards a future where no one is overlooked.

As we launch this project, I urge the private sector to embrace their supply chains and procurement processes through inclusion of businesses led by or employing individuals with disabilities.

We also appeal to provincial departments to weave the mentorship model into their broader economic development strategies. Our wish is to see more civil societies and advocacy groups continuing their important roles of ensuring that inclusion is genuine and not merely a façade.

Together, let us commit towards placing disability inclusion at the forefront of our nation’s social and economic priorities.

In closing, I extend my heartfelt compliments to the leadership of APD-NMB cohort, the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development, and all who participated into a success of this initiative.

This launch serves as a reminder that true empowerment resides in providing persons with disabilities a space and opportunity to actively contribute to society - not merely as recipients of aid, but as leaders, innovators, and contributors to South Africa’s inclusive economy.

May this factory serve as an exemplary memory and a testament that we can accomplish more when we come together in pursuit of equality, dignity, and opportunity for everyone.
I thank you

Media enquiries may be referred to: Ms Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on [email protected] / 066 480 6845

Call now to connect with business.

11/11/2025

https://dsdnews.org/deputy-minister-of-social-development-hendricks-launches-textile-factory-to-empower-persons-with-disabilities/

By Justice Malapane. •⁠ ⁠Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks launched the Textile Factory Industry for Persons with Disabilities in Gqeberha, calling on all South Africans to wo…

08/11/2025

https://dsdnews.org/deputy-minister-hendricks-calls-for-an-inclusive-south-africa-at-youth-summit1/

By DSD Staff Writer. Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks addressed young people, parents, and caregivers at the Youth Summit under the theme “Every Child Matters: Voices of Our F…

08/11/2025

Deputy Minister Hendricks – Welcome and Response Address at the Youth Summit
Theme: “Every Child Matters – Voices of Our Future”

Assalaamu Alaikum – Peace be upon you all.
Good morning to our children, young people, parents, caregivers, community members, and to the dedicated organisers of this meaningful Youth Summit.
It is a deep honour to stand here, not merely as a Deputy Minister, but as a fellow human being, a father, an uncle, and a brother who is listening with an open heart.
Witnessing the Children’s Voices
As I watched the placards being raised, words written in young hands, each message carrying a truth that many adults overlook, I was struck by the quiet power of your march.
There were no microphones, no slogans shouted, just your truth, standing tall before us.
You reminded us that inclusion is not an act of charity. It is a recognition of human worth. And you reminded us, too, that government’s responsibility is not only to speak about inclusion, but to make it real, in policy, in practice, and in the everyday lives of our children.
Honouring the Parents and Caregivers
To the mothers, fathers, and caregivers, your journey is one of both love and resilience.
I have seen, through the stories shared with our department, the strength it takes to raise a child with a disability in a world that often looks away.
You fight not for privilege, but for fairness. Not for special treatment, but for what every parent wants, the chance for your child to be seen, supported, and allowed to flourish.
Today, I speak not only as a government representative but as a father who understands what it means to look into a child’s eyes and see both potential and uncertainty, and to want, above all else, for that child to be free from barriers that limit their dreams.

Recognising the Community
I want to acknowledge this community for its remarkable spirit of generosity, the neighbours, volunteers, and local partners who helped make this summit possible.
You have reminded us that inclusion begins with humanity, with kindness, with opening doors, with seeing every child as ours.
Your warmth has made the children feel at home, comfortable, and joyful, even as we confront serious truths about their daily realities.
From Reflection to Responsibility
As a representative of government, I cannot stand here today without responding, not in words alone, but with a renewed sense of duty.
We know that the right to participate, to go to school, to play, to learn, to grow, cannot exist without social security.
For many children with disabilities, participation begins with access: access to a birth certificate, to a disability grant, to transport, to assistive devices, and to inclusive learning.
When these supports are delayed or denied, the child’s world shrinks, and their potential is held hostage by circumstance.
Our Ministry, together with our partners in Health, Education, and Social Development, is committed to strengthening early intervention and family support.
We recognise that early identification and development are not optional extras; they are the foundation for lifelong inclusion.
That means ensuring that no mother must beg for a social grant that is her child’s right; no father must travel from office to office to be heard; no teacher must turn a child away because of their disability; and no child must grow up believing that they are less because society is slow to adapt.
Every Child Has Equal Worth
To the children here today, I want you to hear me clearly:
You have the right to live life fully, freely, and equally to your peers.
You have the right to dream, to learn, to laugh, to make mistakes, to succeed, and to be part of your communities.
Some of you may one day become pilots, teachers, doctors, or scientists.
Some of you may choose quieter paths, to garden, to paint, to repair, to care, to build, to love.
And I want you to know: each of these lives matters equally.
Your worth is not measured by a title, but by the fullness of your participation in life.
Every child, no matter their ability, deserves to be seen as a contributor, not someone on the edge of society, but at its very heart.
From Policy to Promise
As government, we have a duty to turn our promises into action.
That is why we are working towards policies that ensure:
• Greater access to early childhood development services for children with disabilities;
• Integrated support for parents through community-based rehabilitation and empowerment programmes;
• Strengthened coordination between social services, health, and education to reduce waiting times for grants, assessments, and placements; and
• Continued advocacy within Cabinet for ring-fenced funding dedicated to children with disabilities.
These are not abstract plans. They are the necessary steps toward a South Africa where every child belongs.
7. A Call to Partnership
But government cannot do this alone. Real transformation requires partnership.
It needs the voices of parents, activists, teachers, faith leaders, and communities to keep us accountable and to help us see what we sometimes miss from our offices.
And that is why gatherings like this Summit matter so much, because they bring truth into the open.
When you march silently with placards, you remind us that silence can be powerful when it speaks truth.
When you sing your song, you remind us that hope is a form of resistance.
When you speak your poem, you remind us that language has power, and that children, too, are authors of change.
A Father’s Reflection
I want to speak now, not as Deputy Minister Hendricks, but as a father and uncle.
When I see you, our children, I see South Africa’s promise.
And I also see the work that remains.
I imagine the mother who wakes at dawn to carry her child to a clinic far away, hoping for a referral that takes months.
I imagine the young boy who wants to play soccer but cannot find a field that welcomes his wheelchair.
I imagine the girl who dreams of being a teacher but is told that her disability makes it impossible.
These are not stories of failure, they are stories that demand our courage to change.
They tell us that our task as adults, as leaders, as communities, is not to fix children, it is to fix systems that exclude them.
The Path Forward
Today, I want to make this commitment:
That we will continue working with organisations such as DICAG Western Cape, with parent networks, and with our intergovernmental partners, to ensure that our national programmes reflect your realities, your voices, and your priorities.
We will continue advocating for a disability-inclusive budget that recognises the cost of living with disability and ensures that no family is left unsupported.
We will strengthen our data systems to identify children with disabilities early, and to provide the interventions that nurture their abilities, not their limitations.
We will support communities that take initiative, because change begins where compassion and action meet.
Closing: A Vision of Hope
Children, I want you to know that your voices today have power.
They have reached the heart of government. They have reached my heart.
Do not stop speaking. Do not stop dreaming.
And do not let the world convince you that you must be perfect to belong, you already belong.
To the parents, caregivers, and community members, thank you for your relentless spirit. You are building a bridge for the next generation, plank by plank, with love and faith.
Let us leave here today not only inspired, but responsible, each of us, to create a South Africa that honours every child’s potential and every parent’s effort.
May the sound of your song, the sight of your placards, and the words of your poem remain with us, as a reminder that true leadership listens, learns, and acts with compassion.
Thank you. May peace and blessings be upon you all.
Media enquiries may be referred to: Ms Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on: [email protected] / 066 480 6845