MINISTER CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO EMPLOY SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS

By Cuma Pantshwa

• Amidst a range of escalating social ills, the Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, has called for immediate action to employ more social services professionals to strengthen South Africa’s welfare system.
• Minister Tolashe made it clear South Africa can no longer afford to have trained professionals sitting at home while communities and the vulnerable continue to suffer.
• Social workers are needed in every space, including education, healthcare, corrections, and law enforcement, the minister said, addressing a recent MinMEC meeting.

South Africa faces an alarming social crisis, with rising unemployment, poverty, crime, gender-based violence, and substance abuse affecting millions. Yet, despite the urgent need for intervention, thousands of qualified social service professionals – social workers, social auxiliary workers, and child and youth care workers – remain unemployed.

At a recent MinMEC (Minister and MECs for Social Development) meeting, Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Tolashe called for immediate, coordinated action to employ these professionals and strengthen the country’s welfare system.

“If it means we must engage the president on this urgent matter, then let us do so,” said Minister Tolashe, emphasising the critical role of social service professionals in addressing the country’s deepening social issues.

The MinMEC meeting underscored the urgent need to place qualified, yet unemployed, social workers in key roles.

Social workers needed in every space

The minister made it clear that South Africa can no longer afford to have trained professionals sitting at home while communities and the vulnerable continue to suffer. “Social workers are needed in every space; schools, hospitals, correctional services, law enforcement, and communities,” she stressed.

Despite budgetary constraints, Minister Tolashe insisted that hiring social service professionals should not be delayed and called for immediate engagements with the president and minister of finance to secure the necessary resources.

“This is not just a Department of Social Development issue. This is a national crisis, and we need all stakeholders, including government departments and the private sector to prioritise the hiring of these professionals,” she urged.

Members at the MinMEC meeting were in full support that without adequate investment in social services, the country will continue to struggle with deep-rooted social ills.

Robust discussions continued about ensuring proper funding for the employment and retention of social workers, who are essential in breaking cycles of poverty and trauma and addressing the needs of all vulnerable communities.

For this to happen strong strategic partnerships, a vigorous recruitment drive, and a focus on retaining and supporting social service professionals are needed.

The meeting heard that the Department of Social Development has been actively responding to the growing need for social service professionals in South Africa, amidst a range of escalating social issues.

Presenting a progress report on the employment strategy for social service professionals, Amanda Vokwana, Director of Organisational Design and Human Resource Planning at the Department of Social Development, noted that despite budget challenges, some government departments are making strides in addressing the social service workforce shortage.

Comprehensive strategy to build capacity

The Department of Social Development developed a comprehensive strategy to enhance human resource capacity in the social services sector, which was approved by the Cabinet in February 2024.

The strategy aims to recruit and retain unemployed social work graduates and expand opportunities for social service professionals across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

The Department of Social Development’s focus is not only on increasing the number of professionals but also on strengthening the capacity of those already in the workforce to improve service delivery.

Vokwana identified the departments that are making strides, signalling tangible steps toward meeting the targets. She commended the Free State Department of Social Development for appointing 38 new social workers in December 2024 and the Department of Correctional Services for advertising 50 posts.

The Department of Social Development will focus on ensuring that all resolutions and agreements made in the workshop are fully implemented, Vokwana said, adding that this includes ongoing efforts to establish an inter-ministerial committee, develop a value proposition for engaging the private sector, and create an integrated task team to oversee the employment of social service professionals.

Call for collaboration

The department will continue its advocacy for meaningful interventions and the collaboration of all sectors in addressing the critical need for social workers.

The meeting called for departments in the cluster “to come on board and ramp up efforts” and acknowledged the overwhelming need for social workers to address these pressing issues.

Even though South Africa’s fiscal situation is challenging, with government finances under strain, the minister is determined to ensure that social service professionals are placed in critical positions to strengthen the social welfare system.

“As a country we are overwhelmed by the scourges – there’s a scourge on everything. Social workers are needed in every space. Their expertise is crucial in various fields, including education, healthcare, corrections, and law enforcement,” the minister said, emphasising that social service professionals are needed beyond government and the non-government organisations.

She pointed out the critical role social service professionals play in protecting vulnerable communities: “We need to ensure that our workforce is sustainable and well-resourced to respond to the social ills we face.”

Expanding partnerships

Minister Tolashe made a call to action that extended beyond government departments, urging the private sector to come on board and support the employment of social service professionals.

There was a consensus in the meeting that the pace of employment must accelerate to meet the growing demand for social services.

There was agreement that addressing these challenges is not just the responsibility of the Department of Social Development but requires a collaborative effort across government departments and other sectors.