The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) continues to demonstrate alarming inefficiency in its allocation and expenditure of critical funds. According to the 2024–2025 Fourth Quarterly Report, the department has underspent its total budget by R102 million. These unspent funds could have gone towards vital Restorative Services and Poverty Alleviation initiatives — including the provision of sanitary supplies, which are essential for the dignity and health of young girls in our province.
Many girls in South Africa miss several days of school each year due to a lack of access to sanitary towels. Often, they are forced to use unhygienic alternatives, such as newspapers and rags. This not only endangers their health but also disrupts their education and affects their dignity.
During a recent oversight visit to a school in Tembisa, the school principal informed the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng that many girl learners struggle to access sanitary pads. He shared that while one girl might receive a pack, she may have to share it with six other women at home. Additionally, donations are infrequent, leaving the girls to face ongoing challenges. Likewise, the DA has learned of another school in the province where 300 girls in Grades 8 and 9 are in desperate need of sanitary pads.
These examples underscore the plight of many young girls in Gauteng. Sanitary pads are essential tools that ensure girls stay in school and reach their full potential, regardless of their economic circumstances. In impoverished homes where parents struggle to make ends meet, sanitary pads are increasingly becoming an added financial burden, competing for the limited resources within these households.
The DA demands accountability for this underutilisation, which reflects a longstanding pattern of mismanagement within the department. This department must ensure that girls remain in school and receive the education they need.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would ensure that, despite limited government funds, allocated resources are never returned but used to serve the people of Gauteng. We would have proper financial management in the Department of Social Development that would effectively and efficiently utilise the available budget ensuring no opportunity for corruption as well as minimal waste.
The DA will continue to fight for access to sanitary products, recognising that sanitary pads are crucial for enabling girl learners to stay in school, fully engage with their education, and work towards a brighter future.