Western Cape Government Innovation: SWIMS app rolled out to health social workers

The Social Work Integrated Management System (SWIMS) App is a key innovation that is transforming the way that healthcare professionals do their work. 

The SWIMS App allows social workers to securely capture and track interventions, build a clearer picture of community needs, and generate data to guide provincial priorities. It also improves record-keeping and can be used offline, making it particularly valuable in rural areas where connectivity is limited.

For social workers, who often move between homes, communities, courts and facilities, the app reduces time spent on paperwork and allows more time to focus on people.

The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD), in partnership with the Department of Health and Wellness, has expanded SWIMS App to be used by health social workers, strengthening how government works together to support residents.

On Monday, 13 April 2026, health social workers from the Overberg, West Coast and Cape Winelands were trained by DSD to be able to use the app. Since its launch by the DSD in April 2024, the SWIMS app has expanded to include the Western Cape Education Department and the Department of Health and Wellness, bringing three departments onto one system. Currently more than 1300 social workers make use of the App. 

Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Jaco Londt, said, “More than 80 000 cases have already been captured on SWIMS. That is 80 000 real stories where support is being tracked and strengthened. This tool cuts down on paperwork and gives social workers more time to focus on what matters most, helping people. It puts the right information in their hands and helps make sure no one falls through the cracks.”

Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, added, “We are building a system of care that puts people first. Residents don’t experience government in silos, and we cannot work that way either. This is about making sure that when someone needs support, it is coordinated, responsive and centred around them. The SWIMS app helps us reduce the administrative burden on our teams and strengthen how we work together so that every patient receives the care and dignity they deserve.”

As the Western Cape Government continues to integrate services across departments, tools like SWIMS are helping to turn coordination into care, ensuring residents receive the right support, at the right time, from a system that works together.

Media Enquiries:
Robyn Thomson 
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness Email: robyn.thomson@westerncape.gov.za

Esther Lewis
Head of Communications
Department of Social Development
Tel: 072 647 2351
Email: esther.lewis@westerncape.gov.za