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?
- What is the Department doing to assist households and individuals affected by the floods (e.g. in Dunoon)?
The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) works in close coordination with the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre, SASSA, municipalities, and humanitarian relief partners, including DSD-funded organisations such as the Mustadafin Foundation, Community Chest, ForAfrika South Africa, The Salvation Army, and the Al-Imdaad Foundation, to provide immediate humanitarian relief to affected communities.
Key interventions include:
- Partnership activation: Collaboration with funded and non-funded humanitarian relief organisations to respond rapidly to flooding incidents and provide immediate humanitarian assistance.
- Immediate relief provision: Through funded humanitarian relief organisations, affected households may receive warm meals, hygiene packs, blankets, clothing, baby care items, and food parcels, depending on the outcomes of needs assessments and requests received.
- Coordination of assessments and interventions: DSD officials and partner organisations conduct on-site assessments in flooded areas to identify indigent households requiring support, including psychosocial services.
- Destitute burial assistance: Through its Social Relief sub-unit within the Community Development Directorate, the Department may also provide burial assistance for destitute persons who pass away because of disasters, subject to the discretion and approval of the MEC’s Office.
2. Does the Department have a sustainable programme that supports rural communities with flood relief? If so, what are the relevant details?
Yes. The Western Cape DSD implements a sustainable Social Relief Programme through its Disaster Management Protocol to support rural communities affected by floods and other disasters.
Relevant details include:
- Sustainable programme approach: The programme operates through established disaster management protocols, annual budget allocations, and ongoing partnerships to ensure continued preparedness and rapid response in rural communities.
- Current resourcing: For the 2026/27 financial year, the Department has allocated R5.7 million to fund humanitarian relief organisations that provide disaster response services across the province, including rural areas. An additional R2 million has been allocated for undue hardship assistance to vulnerable beneficiaries identified through assessments.
- Rural reach and coordination: The Department works closely with district and local municipalities in non-metropolitan areas, disaster management centres, and regional DSD officials to coordinate and deliver relief support in rural communities affected by flooding.
- Partnerships and support services: Funded humanitarian relief organisations, as well as unfunded organisations such as Gift of the Givers, Love George, OASIS Kannaland and Engedi Haven, assist with humanitarian relief efforts in rural communities. Support includes the provision of food relief, blankets, dignity packs, psychosocial support, assessments, referrals, and recovery assistance to affected households.
- Emergency food parcel distribution: The Department provides emergency food parcel assistance to address acute hunger in affected rural communities. This process includes conducting needs assessments, submitting requests to the Community Development Office, obtaining food parcels from warehouses, and distributing assistance directly to affected households.
- Long-term support: The Social Relief Programme works together with Sustainable Livelihood initiatives within the Community Development Directorate to support ongoing recovery and resilience in vulnerable rural communities following disasters.
