Social Development
With reference to the role that social development has to play in the cross-departmental effort highlighted in the Safety Plan:
- (a) What specific psychosocial support services does his Department provide to people affected by gang violence and (b) in which communities are these services currently available;
- (a) what type of workers are currently deployed in high gang-violence areas, (b) what is the ratio of social workers to residents in those communities and (c) what programmes are in place to support at-risk youths to prevent their gang involvement?
- (a) DSD renders a range of psychosocial support and statutory services in areas affected by gang violence, which includes social crime prevention, victim empowerment services, trauma support, child protection services, substance abuse treatment services, and services aimed at reducing youth risk behaviour such as parenting programs, mediation and youth skills development. For young persons already involved in high risk behaviour, the Department provides secure care facilities.
- (b) For immediate access to psychosocial support services in areas affected by gang violence, the Department of Social Development funds social service organisations as follows:
Organisation | Service Areas |
Hope House Counselling Centre | Kuils River, Mfuleni, Harare and surrounding areas |
Mosaic Women's Training Services and Healing Centre | Atlantis Court & TCC Parow & Goodwood Courts Mitchells Plain TCC & Court Khayelitsha TCC & surrounding areas Philippi, Gugulethu, Bellville, Bishop Lavis, Blue Downs |
Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture Trust | Bonteheuwel, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Manenberg, Kraaifontein, Langa, Hanover Park |
Touching Nations | Elsies River, Delft |
Les Femme | Gugulethu, Phillippi |
Community Cohesion | Ocean View, Imizamo Yethu, Msaiphumelele |
Networking for Christ | Mbekwini |
Just Grace | Langa |
Community Intervention Centre | Joe Slovo, Dunoon |
2(a)The following category workers are deployed:
- Social workers (including child protection social workers and probation officers
- Social auxiliary workers
- Community development practitioners
- Child and youth care workers
- Life skill facilitators
(b) The ratio of social workers to population in the affected communities is approximately 1 social worker per population of 5000.
(c) Designated Child Protection Organisations refer at -risk youth and affected families for specialized psychosocial support services provided by organisations such as Childline South Africa, MOSAIC, FAMSA, but not limited to. These programmes and services include trauma counselling, victim support services, family counselling, therapeutic interventions, psychosocial support, gender-based violence support services, substance abuse support, and crisis intervention services for individuals and families affected by gang violence.
Communities and surrounding areas affected by gang violence access services through office-based interventions, community outreach initiatives, home visits, school visits, and referrals to relevant partner organisations and stakeholders operating within communities.
Designated Child Protection Organisations have programmes for children with challenging behaviour, which could lead to gangsterism, hence organisations implement conduct behaviour modification groups at schools with learners who are identified by teachers. The Department of Social Development also facilitates a behaviour modification programme called the ROAR Programme for children in alternative care. Most of our communities also have neighbourhood watch teams who work closely with the police to keep the area safe. Children at very high risk can be placed by the courts into the Department’s secure care child and youth care centres.
