Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi made the announcement during the Maintenance Unclaimed Monies and Maintenance Matters Community Outreach Campaign at Impopoli Community Hall in Kabokweni on Friday, October 31.

According to the Minister, the department has been holding onto this substantial amount for far too long, and it’s high time parents take action. Speaking during the public hearing: “So the problem currently is that the money is paid directly to the department and then it sits there, it’s about R84-million across, so what I have instructed officials is that now we must do track and tracing, it’s a lot of resources for us as the department to be able to find the parents with the money and all those things.”

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The minister attributed the issue to parents’ lack of awareness and the funds not being directly deposited into their accounts, causing the money to remain unclaimed. To address this, Minister Kubayi has instructed officials to embark on a track-and-tracing mission to locate the parents and ensure the funds reach their intended beneficiaries. The department is also encouraging parents to open bank accounts for their children, making it easier for them to access the funds.

“We are encouraging mothers or parents of children who are receiving the maintenance money to agree that this money must go directly into the accounts, because banks allow for you to open an account for a child so that money can go into that account, can be accessed easily and quickly,” explained Kubayi.

The Minister emphasised that the campaign seeks to educate parents on maintenance matters, including the importance of joint parental involvement in children’s lives. The department appealed to those entitled to the funds to step forward and claim them for the benefit of their children.

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