Social Development
Question by:
Hon Wendy Kaizer-Philander
Answered by:
Hon Jaco Londt
Question Number:
1
Question Body:
In light of recent attacks on social workers:
What adjustments are being made to welfare programmes to ensure that safety and well-being of social workers are prioritised?
Answer Body:
To address this challenge in facilities, several structured interventions were introduced, each designed to mitigate risks, enhance staff awareness, and safeguard departmental assets.
- The first step was to conduct a thorough analysis of the risk profile across key service delivery areas.
- The second intervention was the implementation of an awareness programme specifically focused on hijacking.
- Another critical intervention involved engagements with Government Motor Transport (GMT) to strengthen the physical and technological safeguards of the vehicle fleet.
- We also worked on strengthening the partnership with various role players in law enforcement such as the South African Police Service, City law enforcement and the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety.
- The final intervention was the completion of the Hazard and Risk Identification Assessment (HIRA) process, specifically adapted to include hijacking as a critical operational risk.
- In summary, the department’s interventions combine data-driven analysis, staff empowerment through awareness, strategic partnerships with GMT, and the systematic embedding of safety practices through HIRA. Together, these measures represent a holistic and sustainable response to the persistent threat of vehicle hijackings, ensuring that staff, vehicles, and service delivery operations remain protected in high-risk contexts.
Date:
Friday, November 28, 2025
