Millennium Development

Goals: Country Report 2010

(MDGR 2010)

Presentation
To

Social Development and

Transformation Cluster

29 June 2011

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 Outline

1. Background
2. Introduction and Challenges
3. MDG Results for the Social Sector (1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6 and 7)
4. Conclusion

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 Background

Millennium Declaration

• In September 2000, the world’s leaders signed the

Millennium Declaration at the Millennium Summit
• The Millennium Declaration promotes basic human rights
such as the right to education, health, water, security, and
shelter

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 Background
• The MDG process has its roots in the United nations Millennium Summit
held in 2000, where world leaders agreed on working to achieve eight
critical economic and social development priorities by 2015.
• The compilation of the MDG country Report 2009/2010 was led by
Statistics South Africa
• Consultations with government Departments and civil society started in
November 2009.
• Statistics South Africa created Sector Working Groups (SWG), each
focusing on one goal or more depending on the mandate of specific
government Departments.
• Sector Working Groups met regularly to assess data collected from and
submitted by various institutions .

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 Background cont ...
• Social Sector Departments participated in and led a number of Sector Working
Groups according to their mandate.
• Further consultations, led jointly by StatsSA, the Department of Social
Development and civil society continued throughout the country in September
2010 and the outcome of the process was South Africa’s MDG country report
which was presented to the UN General Assembly in September 2010
• The country report is a combination of both UN (50) and domesticated (45)
targets and indicators
• This presentation focus on goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 for which the social
sector cluster is directly responsible.
• Although the presentation contained herein is derived from the MDG Country
Report and the presentation made to Cabinet and civil society formations ,
additional source documents have been used for information contained in Goals
1 and 2

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 Background cont…
• Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), act as guidelines and indicators for
measuring levels of development
• Reference period for MDGs 1990 - 2015
• For South Africa, start of reference period is 1994

1994 1997 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009 2012 2015

• Characteristics of MDGs:
• Time-bound goals
• Quantifiable targets
• Internationally agreed upon indicators

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 Background cont…

Goal 3: Promote
Goal 1: Goal 2: Achieve gender equity and Goal 4: Reduce
Eradicate extreme universal primary empower women child mortality
poverty and education
hunger

Goal 5: Improve Goal 6: Combat Goal 7: Ensure Goal 8: Develop

maternal health HIV/AIDS, environmental a global
malaria and other sustainability partnership for
diseases development

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 Introduction and Challenges
• Although the Social Sector Departments cover a wide spectrum of issues, some of
their work cannot be measured by the indicators -both domestic and international-
developed for the MDGs:
• This includes critical work done by for example, the Department of Social Development
on Early Childhood Development .
•As such, the report may at times not present a comprehensive coverage of the social
sector’s contribution to the achievement of MDGs
•All information submitted to StatsSA for the compilation of the report had to be
subjected to stringent quality assurance processes, and as a result, some of the information
submitted by various sources was not included in the report.
• As noted in the country report, the lack of data led to non-reporting on:
10 MDG indicators
1 Domesticated indicator
•With respect to the country report, a number of challenges conspired to prevent South
Africa from meeting some of the goals, and these include among others, the following:
•High levels of income disparity
•Structural unemployment
•The impact of HIV and AIDS
•The recent global economic recession
 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty

Proportion of population living below the poverty line

has declined
Gini coefficient (measure of inequality) remains high

Employment to population ratio remained static

Access to free basic services by indigents on the

increase

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 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

• The Social assistance programme, led by the Department of Social

Development has made a significant contribution to the attainment of
Goal 1
• Studies on South Africa’s social assistance programme suggest that
social grants reinforce developmental impacts within households in
terms of nutrition, education, health, vital services and employment:

• Absolute Poverty: The proportion of people living in absolute

poverty-as measured by the threshold of $1 to $2.50- a day has
declined
• South Africa has effectively more than halved the population living
below the poverty line of $1 a day from 11.3% in 2000 to 5% in 2006.
• This suggests that South Africa has met MDG Goal 1.
• The poverty gap ration declined from 3.3 in 2000 to 1.1 in 2006 at the
$1 Per person per day threshold

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 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
• Studies carried out by among others Statistics South Africa,
including the Presidency’s Fifteen Year Review, suggest that the
Social Assistance Programme is the single most important driver
of the decline in poverty has had a significant impact on reducing
poverty, redistributing income and reducing inequality.
• From a modest 2, 5 million recipients in 1994 to over 14 million
in 2010, the rapid expansion or the social assistance programme
accounts for the growth in expenditure levels of the poor.
• The most notable expansion has been that of the child support
grant, which rose from 34 000 beneficiaries in 1999 to over 10.3
million by March 2011
• Recent research suggests that the CSG contributes to improving
the nutrition levels of children between the ages of 0-2 years
• Social grants, along with wages earned through employment,
contributed to growth in per capita income between 1995 and
2005.
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 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
• Income distribution: although levels of inequality remain high in South Africa, social
grants have made a significant contribution to the reducing the levels of the Gini estimate
for the country.
• Food Poverty line: the percentage of the population living below the food poverty line of
R148 in 2000 and R209 equivalent in 2006 declined from 28.5 to 24.8 respectively
• The proportion of males living below the food poverty line declined from 26.7% to
22.9% while the number of females living below the line declined from 30.2 % to 26.4%
between 2000 and 2006.
• Similarly, the distribution of food parcels to needy households through the social relief of
distress plays an important role in relieving incidents of poverty.
• The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has played a significant role as a
short to medium term measure to creating employment, building skills and eradicating
extreme poverty and hunger.
• The social sector made a significant contribution to reaching the EPWP target of 1
million job opportunities by 2009.
• These initiatives are also providing strong platform for further sustainable long-term
solutions to poverty related issues.

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 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Free Basic services for the indigent:

More poor households are benefitting from the provision of free basic services from
municipalities
According to 2008 estimates, 8,1 million consumer units were receiving electricity from
municipalities and other service providers in South Africa, and 2,8 million (34,8 percent)
of these were receiving free basic electricity.
The number of consumer units receiving basic electricity rose by 6 percent between
2007 and 2008 (460 000 more consumer units had access to basic electricity)
-1200 436 of the units were in Limpopo, 99 487 were in Gauteng, while 77 363 in
Northern Cape , Free state had 13, 272 units
The total number of consumer units that received free basic water services increased by
16,3 percent ( from 9,9 million to 11, 5 million) during the 2007/2008 financial year
According to 2008 estimates 60 percent (7, 0 million) of 11, 5 million households
received water for free.

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 Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty
Percent living below poverty lines and poverty gap: 2000 and 2006
Poverty line Percent below poverty Poverty Gap
line
2000 2006 2000 2006

Food Poverty line R148 R209 10.4 7.9

28.5 24.8
$1.00 (ppp) 11.3 5.0 3.2 1.1

$1.25 (ppp) 17.0 9.7 5.4 2.3

$2.00 (ppp) 33.5 25.3 13.0 8.1

$2.50 (ppp) 42.2 34.8 18.0 12.5

 Goal 2: Achieve Universal Education

Adjusted Net Enrolment for females has increased from 97.0% in 2002
to 98.8% in 2009

Functional Literacy rate of 15 to 24 year olds increased from 88% in 2002 to

91% in 2009

Completion rate of primary education by those aged 18 has risen from 89.6%
in 2002 to 93.8% in 2009

It appears that South African government initiatives of no fees, free transport

and feeding schemes in selected schools have benefited poor learners

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 Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
• Early Childhood Development (ECD): Although indicators for Goal 2
do not include children in the 0-4 age cohort, ECD is widely believed to
provide a firm foundation for life-long learning, which is a key element of
a dynamic, literate, and knowledge based society.
• By March 2011, there were 19 000 registered ECD centres with 790 000
children benefitting from ECD services. Some 720 000 of these children
are directly subsidised by the State.
• Impact of the CSG: according to Statistics South Africa’s General
Household Survey report 2003-2007 released in July 2009, the most
notable impact of the expansion of the CSG is that children benefitting
from the grant are likely to go to school.
• In 2007, the percentage of low income households which receive any kind
of grant and were sending their children aged 5-19 years to school
increased from 73% in 2003 to 81% in 2007 (linked to Goal 3)
• Similarly, the attendance ratio for individuals aged 5-19 is higher in
households who receive grants than those who did not receive them.

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 Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

• Under the Social Relief of Distress the Department has a

special dispensation permitting children from poor
families to purchase school uniforms
• Other initiatives such as the National School nutrition
programme and the provision of school transport add
substance to the realisation of children’s rights

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 Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Enrolment ratios (adjusted) for 7-13 age group by sex: 2002 – 2009

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 Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower
Women
South Africa has made significant progress in meeting the goal of
promoting gender equality and will most likely meet all the key targets for
this goal.
There are more girls than boys in both secondary and tertiary institutions
Women share on non-agricultural wage employment remains below half
Proportion of seats held by women in the national assembly increased from
25% in 1994 to 44 % in 2009.
• Women constitute 67 percent of recipients of the Old Age and Disability
Grants, which is 2.4 million women
• The Old Age Grant also serves as surety with which people are able to
leverage further financial and social resources.
• Women, as care givers, make up 98 % of the recipients of the Child
Support Grant

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 Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Gross enrolment ratios & gender parity index at tertiary level, selected years

Female gross
Gender Parity
Year enrolment Male GER
Index (GPI)
ration (GER)

1996 0,09 0,11 0,86

2001 0,11 0,10 1,10

2003 0,12 0,11 1,13

2008 0,13 0,11 1,26

 Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Infant mortality rate remained stable at 53 (2007) deaths

per 1000 live births

Under-five mortality rate has risen from 59 (1998) to 104

(2007)per 1000 live births

Proportion of 1-year old children immunised against

measles has risen from 68.5 (2001) to 98.3 (2009)

Life expectancy at birth has dropped

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 Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Under-Five Mortality Rate, South Africa 1998,
and the 2015 MDG

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 Goal 5: Improve Maternal Mortality

Maternal Mortality rate is high and is increasing

Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel

increased from 76.6% (684 766) in 2001 to 94.3% (935 473) in
2009

Use of modern contraceptive methods by sexually active women

has increased from 61.2% (1998) to 64% (2003)

Antenatal care coverage has increased from 76.6 (2001) to above

100%

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 Goal 5: Improve Maternal Mortality
Maternal Mortality Rate in South Africa since 1998,
and 2015 MDG

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 Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

The spread of HIV prevalence in South Africa may have stabilised

Marked increase in all provinces from 2005 (13.9%) to 2009 (41.6%) in the
proportion of people with HIV who had access to ART
In 2006 17% of men had been tested and in 2009 the figure had risen to
31.8%. Amongst women the figure rose from 38% in 2006 to 71.2% in 2009
Death rates associated with TB have risen from 168 per 100 000 population
(in 2004) to 181 (in 2007) per 100 000 population
• Evidence suggests that the spread of HIV prevalence in South Africa may
have stabilised and has declined among the 15-24 age cohort since 2005.
If this trend continues, the target with respect to the reduction of HIV
infections in 15-24 year age cohort is likely to be met by 2015.

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 Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases

HIV Prevalence Among Population Aged 15-24 Years,

South Africa, 2002, 2005 and 2008

11 10.3
H IV p re va le n c e (% )

10

10 9.3

9 8.7

8
2002 2005 2008

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Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Number of species threatened with extinction has

increased from 676 (1990) to 2458 (2010)

Carbon dioxide emissions have increased from 358 930

Gigagrams in 1994 to 433 527 Gigagrams in 2007

Proportion of population living in slums have remained

static

The target for the proportion of population using water

from an improved drinking source has been achieved
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 Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Access to Services by Households
Water
Sanitation at Connection
Supply Living in Solid fuels Solid fuels
RDP to the
from a informal for for
YEAR std or mains
safe dwelling cooking heating
higher electricit
source (%) (%) (%)
(%) y (%)
(%)
2009 92,4 72,2 13,4 15,7 19,8 82,6

2008 92,0 69,7 14,1 16,4 21,8 81,7

2007 92,7 70,1 15,0 14,4 19,0 81,8

2006 92,2 68,2 14,7 19,7 19,4 80,7

2005 91,7 66,7 15,7 15,8 19,6 80,8

2004 90,8 66,0 11,9 18,6 23,3 80,6

2003 89,8 64,0 12,8 19,5 23,6 78,4

2002 88,7 61,9 13,0 20,0 24,4 76,8

 MDG Reporting: Problems

• MDG process has highlighted the following deficiencies in our distributed statistical system
– Administrative records systems for producing statistics are still weak
To Illustrate:
– Death Registration (coverage and completeness)
– Environmental indicators dependent on international agencies’ data
– MMR: Maternal Mortality registration systems plagued by
• Plethora of competing sources
• Sources use competing definitions
• Producing contradictory estimates
– Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)
• EMIS data still has quality concerns
• Age specific population estimates still called into question
• Assign blame where the numerator & denominator come from differing sources

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 MDG Reporting: Opportunities
• MDGR 2010 affords South Africa an opportunity:
– To institutionalise MDG reporting as part of the country’s National Statistics System, and
– Place MDGs firmly on the country’s development agenda.
– Adage: ”What gets measured, gets done” (….gets done right)
• Are we measuring what matters?
• Many things are not being done!
– Since MDGR 2010 is data intensive, use the process to strengthen (re-engineer) the information systems
that underpin the statistical information

• This can be done by institutionalising the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) and Sector Working
Groups (SWG’s).
• What is required?:
– Commitment to measuring and reporting on the MDGs
– Commitment to build the requisite information infrastructure that allows for reporting on MDGs
– Build sufficient critical mass (human resources) to achieve the objectives of the Millennium Declaration

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 What is Required?
Address 3 issues; namely,
1. incorporation of MDGs in policy programmes,

2. data gaps, and

3. data discrepancies.

How do we address data gaps and discrepancies?

• Audit departmental information systems for relevance
– What is collected?
– For what purpose?
– How does it contribute towards informed decision-making?

• Implement systems (in the responsible line ministries) to ensure that they produce to a defined set of
information requirements (i.e. CPI – monetary policy, GDP – economic growth, GHS – among others,
access to services)
• Rationalise competing production systems that add to the confusion
– Reallocate resources

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Thank You

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