News and Speeches for Department of Social Development | Western Cape Government

News and Speeches for Department of Social Development

Delft community taking ownership of GBV solutions

26 April 2023

A successful engagement took place in Delft on Wednesday, 26 April 2023, between the Western Cape Department of Social Development (WCDSD), provincial Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen, the South African Police Services... Read More

Invitation to Delft Gender-Based Violence Activation Event

25 April 2023

Delft has become synonymous with crime in recent years, with the neighbourhood named as one of the gender-based violence (GBV) hotspots in the Western Cape. Read More

Drakenstein Municipality shows up against GBV

24 April 2023

The Western Cape Government is committed to ending the scourge of gender-based violence 365 days a year. As the lead minister for GBV in the province, Minister Sharna Fernandez believes it is important to raise awareness around the issue wherever... Read More

Concerns over SASSA gold card replacement plan

21 April 2023

The SASSA crisis continues to get progressively worse. Read More

Unpacking toxic masculinity in “Courageous Conversations”

18 April 2023

The first Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Courageous Conversations webinar for 2023 kicked off with the topic: “Understanding Toxic Masculinity.” Read More

Cape Agulhas Municipality shares Local Drug Action Committee success

17 April 2023

I was invited to a Substance Abuse Awareness program hosted by the Cape Agulhas Municipality and what I saw was impressive. Read More

Breaking stigmas on World Autism Awareness Day

3 April 2023

Today we observe World Autism Awareness Day, a day in which we raise awareness about autism and celebrate individuals who are on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Read More

Substance abuse programme on track

31 March 2023

The Western Cape Department of Social Development (WCDSD) – like many other government sectors – has been under immense pressure to meet increasing service demands under significant fiscal constraints. Read More

Social Development Appropriation Bill – Vote 7

29 March 2023

Our Department – along with many others – have been battling against the fierce “headwinds” which the Honourable Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities referred to during her budget for action. Read More

Youth development where it’s needed most

27 March 2023

I have been conducting oversight visits to different Western Cape Department of Social Development facilities along the Garden Route and in the Klein Karoo. Read More

Western Cape Government GBV campaign lands in Delft

23 March 2023

The Western Cape Government (WCG) is continuing to take its “Break the Cycle” media campaign into communities. This time around it was Delft, one of the country’s biggest crime hotspots, that has seen targeted interventions by the WCG. Read More

Honouring our Social Work professionals

22 March 2023

Today, on World Social Work Day, the Western Cape Department of Social Development (WCDSD) wishes to acknowledge the social work professionals across the province and country, who are changing lives for the better every day. Read More

66th Session of Commission on Narcotic Drugs

14 March 2023

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is hosting the 66th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna from 13 to 17 March. Read More

World Hearing Day

3 March 2023

World Hearing Day is commemorated annually on 3 March. The World Health Organisation (WHO) explains that the day is used to “raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world.” Read More

World NGO Day

27 February 2023

Today marks World NGO Day, and so we salute the work done by the 1 131 organisations funded by the Department of Social Development, and many more who provide social welfare and community development services. Read More

SASSA meeting provides valuable insights

22 February 2023

I welcome and appreciate the transparent way in which Western Cape and national management from SASSA responded to concerns the provincial Department of Social Development team and I raised during a long-anticipated meeting yesterday. Read More

SASSA needs a reboot

17 February 2023

As Social Development MEC I have consistently raised my concerns about the experiences of the beneficiaries of SASSA grants. Read More

Ramaphosa wants to corporatise Postbank while it fails to disburse SASSA grants

10 February 2023

I have made it my duty to continue applying pressure on my national counterpart, Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, to fix the mess that is the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). Read More

Breaking the cycle of abuse

6 February 2023

Gender-based violence (GBV) has been plaguing our country for generations. The calls have grown louder for men to play their part in addressing gender-based violence. Through the launch of a media campaign, we’re adding our voices to that call. Read More

Excitement brewing among Prince Albert youth

31 January 2023

Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, joined dozens of young people from Prince Albert, Leeu Gamka, and Klaarstroom on 28 January 2023 for a Youth Indaba hosted by the Prince Albert Community Trust (PACT). Read More

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