Another arrest following hijacking of DSD vehicle: Department calls for stronger action to protect staff
The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) has welcomed the recovery of a vehicle hijacked from DSD officials following a joint effort involving AFSOL, Law Enforcement and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
One suspect was apprehended and another was shot in connection with the latest incident. The Department welcomes the recovery and the cooperation between the various role-players in responding to these attacks.
Our social workers and other frontline staff enter communities every day to protect children, support vulnerable families, monitor services and provide essential assistance. Increasingly, they are being targeted while carrying out this work.
Many of these incidents involve armed criminals targeting staff during home visits, monitoring visits to non-profit organisations (NPOs), at Departmental offices and even at their homes.
The attacks have also had a direct impact on staff members' physical wellbeing. The Department has received around 20 Injury on Duty reports related to these incidents, with injuries often sustained when staff are forcibly dragged from vehicles.
Staff, colleagues and families are left dealing with the trauma and anxiety of simply going to work and entering communities to provide services.
While the recovery of vehicles and arrests are welcomed, we cannot allow these incidents to become normalised in our communities. The root causes of these attacks must be confronted, and those who target public servants providing essential services must be held accountable.
Western Cape Minister of Social Development Wendy Kaizer-Philander said the importance of social workers was brought into sharp focus at the Department's Voice of the Child event on 2 October.
“At the Voice of the Child event, we heard directly from children about the impact that social workers have in their lives and the support they need from us. One of the things that came through very clearly was the value children place on having social workers visit them in their communities and provide the support they need to feel safe and well.”
Minister Kaizer-Philander said the voices of these children make the attacks on social workers particularly concerning.
The Minister also welcomed the role played by the safety fraternity in responding to these incidents: “We must acknowledge and thank all role players for their cooperation and for the work being done to assist us in responding to these attacks. But we need to go further. We need to work together to root out this growing criminality that is preventing our officials from safely reaching the communities they serve. This is simply unacceptable.”
The Department remains committed to delivering services in all communities. However, in response to the current risks, alternative service-delivery arrangements and strengthened security measures are being considered where necessary.
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely and consider further joint interventions where necessary. We cannot stand by while social workers are placed at risk simply because they are doing their jobs and serving our communities,” said Minister Kaizer-Philander.
Media enquiries
Eslynn Apollis | Media Liaison Officer
Provincial Minister Wendy Kaizer-Philander
Department of Social Development