Western Cape Government launches new social services centre in Murraysburg

Today, Tuesday 25 January 2022, the Western Cape Ministers' for Social Development and Transport and Public Works, Ms Sharna Fernandez and Mr Daylin Mitchell, launched a newly established Social Development service centre in Murraysburg.

In his opening address Minister Mitchell, said: "This R7.9 -million facility was refurbished and renovated by the Department of Transport and Public Works and is now being handed  over to the Department of Social Development to be used as modernised offices where a basket of social development services will be delivered to the residents of Murraysburg and surrounding areas."

In her address, Minister Fernandez noted that previously residents in this region had to travel great distances to access social development services.

"Addressing the structural barriers to accessing social protection services by our rural citizens is imperative. We believe that this new service centre will bring our services closer to those rural residents, where the need is greatest. As such, I wish to encourage the Murraysburg community and members of the public in surrounding areas to utilise this special service centre," said Minister Fernandez.

The services upgraded at this facility includes; new lightning and power reticulation, fire-fighting equipment, new air conditioning units, CCTV and security lighting, solar water heating, retaining walls and a new perimeter fence.

The Department of Social Development will use this facility to consult with clients daily, investigate cases, and meet and engage with the community and youth on various projects.

In the event of a large-scale emergency, this facility will be used to provide shelter, and the kitchen can be used to aid in feeding schemes.

A vital feature of the facility is its particular focus on providing services to vulnerable groupings such as children, women, people with disabilities and older persons.

In his address, Minister Mitchell stressed the importance of high-quality services and infrastructure accessible to rural communities that need them most.

Since 2011, the provincial DSD has transitioned from 1 head office and 16 district offices to a head office and six regional offices, overseeing 45 local offices and an additional eight service points.

"A humbling lesson that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is that when government, civil society and communities work together, so much more can be achieved when addressing the hardships our citizens face.

In this regard, we will continue to strengthen our relationships with various stakeholders across society to support us in our endeavours to improve the lives of our most vulnerable residents," concluded Minister Fernandez

The DSD Murraysburg social services centre will render specialist services to the community, including;

• Child care and protection services,
• Probation services,
• Substance abuse interventions,
• Family and parenting support,
• Services to people with disabilities and older persons.

We encourage the public to access social work assistance by visiting our DSD local offices or contacting the DSD hotline on 0800 220 250.