Social Development
(a) What progress has been made with the classification of social workers as essential service workers, (b) what efforts are being made by the Western Cape Government in support of this classification and (c) what subsequent impact will this have on the profession?
Hon Londt.
- a) The issue has been raised on various platforms by Minister Londt and the Standing Committee on Social Development has written a letter to national government in this regard. To date, feedback is yet to be received from national government on this issue.
b) Minister Londt raised the issue in the National Council of Provinces and with the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in the National Assembly. We have also raised it during the last MinMEC meeting in which other MECs and our national counterparts agreed that it is a matter that should be raised with the necessary national officials. We will follow up on the progress of this request at the next MinMEC. Other Western Cape MECs have shown their support for this call, such as Finance Minister Deidre Baartman.
c) If social workers are recognized as essential services, the Western Cape Department of Social Development could receive additional, dedicated financial support from National Treasury in the same way as educator and health care professional posts recently received to mitigate the impact of budget cuts. It would enable the Department to have more funding for other necessary social services, like the various DSD programmes and funding for NGO and NPOs to strengthen their work.
