MINISTER TOLASHE EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR WELFARE SERVICES, DR MARIA MABETOA 

Staff Writer

• Dr Maria Mabetoa, a stalwart in South Africa’s social development sector, has passed away, leaving a legacy of transformative leadership.
• Renowned for her pioneering work on child welfare during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, she spearheaded numerous initiatives, including the Children’s Act and programs supporting orphans and vulnerable children.
• Minister Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe highlighted her profound contributions to the Department of Social Development and her enduring impact on social work education and legislation.

The Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, is deeply saddened by the passing of former Deputy Director-General for Welfare Services, Dr Maria Mabetoa, in the early hours of the morning of 19 November 2024.  

“Dr Maria Mabetoa served the Department and our country with distinction at the highest level. Although I did not have the opportunity to work with her, I have learnt with admiration that she was the architect of some of the impactful programmes and services the Department renders to the most vulnerable in our society. She will be remembered for her enduring leadership in championing the rights of orphans and vulnerable children, including child-headed households, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa,” said Minister Tolashe.  

Before joining the Department, Dr Mabetoa was a senior lecturer and Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of North West, where she trained and mentored many of today’s leaders in the social sector. Her journey with the Department began in 1997, when she was appointed Director of Social Integration, focusing on services for children, families, and youth. She later became Director of HIV and AIDS, where she developed social development services for people living with HIV/AIDS, driven by her unwavering passion for children’s welfare in South Africa and globally.  

Dr Mabetoa established the National Action Committee for Children Affected by HIV and AIDS (NACCA), which advocated for treatment and psychosocial support for children affected by the epidemic. Under her leadership, the Department fostered collaborations with civil society and development agencies, including UNICEF. Her quiet yet resilient demeanour embodied the essence of servant leadership.  

In 2005, Dr Mabetoa was promoted to Chief Director of Services to Children, Social Crime Prevention, and Victim Empowerment Programmes. She led the alignment of South Africa’s legislation with constitutional rights for children, culminating in the enactment and implementation of the first post-apartheid child-specific legislation—the Children’s Act.  

In 2008, she was promoted to Deputy Director-General for Welfare Services, where she played a key role in developing innovative programmes and legislation, including the White Paper on Families and the Older Persons Act. In 2010, former Minister Bathabile Dlamini appointed her as the Department’s representative at the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP), where she contributed significantly to the professionalisation of Child and Youth Care Workers and Community Development Practitioners.  

Between 2012 and 2013, she oversaw the establishment of the National Social Work Veterans’ Forum to address the shortage of social work professionals and to provide mentoring for newly qualified practitioners.  

After retiring in 2014, Dr Mabetoa joined the University of South Africa (UNISA) to coordinate the development of a new Bachelor of Social Work curriculum and supervise postgraduate students. She also served as President of the SACSSP from 2016 to 2022.  

“Today, the Department and the social work profession in South Africa are poorer without Dr Maria Mabetoa, who devoted her life and career to serving the most vulnerable in our country. Her absence will be profoundly felt in the sector, but her dedication and legacy will continue to guide our work of building a caring society. As we pause to reflect on and celebrate the life of this remarkable woman, I extend my deepest condolences to her family, colleagues, and friends,” added Minister Tolashe.