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139 TUESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2008
140
● The department has introduced an
intervention where a team from the
Department’s Strategy Unit in collaboration
with HRM has developed
generic performance agreements for
SMS members linked to the Strategic
Plan. The intervention has worked
well for 2008-09 reporting period
90% response rate.
● The implementation of the revised
PMDS policy, where officials are
expected to submit mid-term
progress review report instead of four
quarterly reports.
(b) Referring to (1) above the growth
and expansion of DSD came with its
own internal challenges which is being
assessed and monitored on a regular
basis by Human Resources management.
Employed social workers
1500. Mr I E JENNER (ID) asked the
Minister of Social Development:
(1) In each province, (a) how many
social workers are currently employed,
(b) what is the current vacancy
rate for social workers and (c)
how many social workers are employed
in violent-prone communities;
(2) whether he has any plans in place to
train and recruit more social workers;
if not, why not; if so, what plans?
NW2245E
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOP-
MENT:
(1) Information received from the provincial
departments of Social Development:
Province (a) (b) (c)
Northern Cape 160 33,3% 57
Gauteng 701 21,3% 547
Western Cape 355 16,5% 186
Province (a) (b) (c)
Limpopo 509 72,1% 0
Free State 533 61,0% 0
North West 309 31,0% 0
Eastern Cape 1 010 56% 403
Mpumalanga 411 86% 113
KwaZulu-Natal 681 62% 0
(2) Yes, a Recruitment and Retention Strategy
has been developed by the department
to provide a framework for the
recruitment and retention of more social
workers within the profession and
the country.
The following are achievements linked
to the implementation of the strategy:
● The salaries of social workers were
reviewed and regraded in 2004.
● A partnership with the SABC was
established in 2006 with a view to
market the profession. The SABC
career education and training is a
well-established programme that offers
employers an opportunity to
market careers through direct communication
with high school learners
who are in Grade 11 and 12. Education
and Career fairs have since then
been conducted annually in all provinces
in partnership with the SABC
for the recruitment of learners to join
the profession.
— 1 428 learners were reached in
nine provinces for the 2006-07
financial year.
— 8 681 learners were reached in
nine provinces for the 2007-08
financial year.
— 2 943 learners were reached in
four provinces during the
2008-09 financial year.
● In an attempt to address the shortage
of Social Workers in the country, the
National Department of Social Development
initiated a Scholarship
Programme in conjunction with the