kobus botha

Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape has a critical shortage of social workers, with nearly a quarter of posts vacant across the province. In a province of 6,5 million people, the department currently only employs 1,771 social workers to provide vital services for the most vulnerable of our society. This translates to just one social worker per 3,670 people in the province. In replying to a parliamentary question MEC for Social Development, Dr Phumza Dyantyi, has admitted that the province … [Read more...] about Shortage of social workers impacting negatively on service delivery to province’s most vulnerable

Dear MyPE Thousands of Eastern Cape children who are in desperate need of support, are being denied critical services, even though funding is available for them. So far this year the Department of Social Development has only assisted 900 of a targeted 20 429 children, while last year Department failed to reach its target, only assisting 8 500 of the 11 047 children they had identified, grossly under-spending in the process. This highlights the extent to which the children of this … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Department of Social Development fails 19,529 learners

Dear MyPE Thousands of Eastern Cape children who are in desperate need of support, are being denied critical services, even though funding is available for them. So far this year the Department of Social Development has only assisted 900 of a targeted 20 429 children, while last year Department failed to reach its target, only assisting 8 500 of the 11 047 children they had identified, grossly under-spending in the process. This highlights the extent to which the children of this … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Department of Social Development fails 19,529 learners

Dear MyPE A written response to a parliamentary question from Social Development MEC, Dr Pumza Dyantyi, reveals that the Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape does not have enough vehicles that would enable its 1771 social workers to provide social welfare services in our province. The response reveals that the Department of Social Development only has 419 vehicles for departmental employees and a mere 239 of these vehicles are allocated to service offices in the … [Read more...] about Social workers without vehicles equals limited service delivery

Dear MyPE A shockingly high number of social work graduates, whose education was paid for by the Department of Social Development are still unemployed. This is unacceptable given the need for social workers and the high rate of youth unemployment in the Eastern Cape. 67, 1% of youth in the 15 – 24 year old bracket and 43, 2% of youth in the 25 – 34 year old bracket remain unemployed. In the Eastern Cape, a total of 1059 social work graduates from various institutions of Higher Education … [Read more...] about 1059 unemployed graduates left in the lurch

Dear MyPE Public frustration is mounting in Uitenhage over government inability to process thousands of social grants recipient information in order for them to be issued with new grant cards and direct bank transfers. Any glitch in the system means disaster for the 17 million South African families who rely on social grants for their only income. A DA-led government would ensure that there is a seamless transition plan in place to carry the additional workload while still maintaining … [Read more...] about Uitenhage Sassa service office buckles under pressure

Dear MyPE The recently appointed MEC for Social Development, Dr Phumza Dyantyi, must fast-track the recruitment process to fill the vacant posts in the newly-established Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) Unit if she wants to make any positive attempt to get her department out of its current state of paralysis. People living on or below the poverty line are the most vulnerable but are often excluded from society itself with little or no relief from meaningful social development initiatives. … [Read more...] about SocDev MEC Dyantyi must fast-track NPO unit

Dear MyPE A parliamentary response from the MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi, reveals that her department has only reached 1,24% of the targeted 2% appointments for the last several years for people with disabilities. MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi, is failing to provide quality strategic leadership when it comes to prioritizing the appointment of social workers with disabilities in her department. The department should be the custodian of vulnerable groups but it … [Read more...] about People with disabilities are not a priority

Dear MyPE Only 53 700 out of 870 900 pre-schoolers attend Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in the Eastern Cape, according to the Department of Social Development. An entire generation of children is being deprived of a proper foundation phase-education before they even get to “big” school. The DA believes that early childhood education is crucial in preparing children for school by building early learning foundations and minimising the wastage associated with ill-prepared learners … [Read more...] about An entire generation of children is being deprived before getting to “big” school

Dear MyPE Ten Eastern Cape Social Development officials have been sitting at home since July last year earning their full monthly salaries, costing the province close to R1,2-million so far while NPOs are starved of funds and services. This was revealed in a reply to oral questions I asked Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi during a legislature sitting this week. In some cases, the finalisation of internal disciplinary processes has been dragging on for more than eighteen months … [Read more...] about ‘Sit at Homes’ cost over a Million

Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Social Development MEC, Nancy Sihlwayi, must explain to the people of this province what her plans are to ensure that the Department of Social Development delivers quality social services for the next financial year. We expect a well-articulated turnaround strategy to be presented in the next Social Development Portfolio Committee meeting. In a reply to a parliamentary question that I posed to the MEC, she admitted that a high vacancy rate in senior management … [Read more...] about Please Explain Nancy

Dear MyPE The Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape has embarked on a quiet and selective mission to identify and cut various non-profit organisation's budget funding allocations overnight by 50%. This uncaring act administered by MEC Nancy Sihlwayi of Social Development and her department officials has triggered a state of panic amongst hundreds of NPO’s that are employing experienced social workers as they have to be retrenched. The restructuring and possible closure of … [Read more...] about Hundreds of NPO employed social workers face job losses

Dear MyPE The comments of the Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi about the intended closure of two Life Esidimeni Frail Care centres in Port Elizabeth are out of touch with the reality of what happened in Gauteng, where 94 mentally ill patients died at the hands of that provincial government. In today’s front page article in The Herald MEC Sihlwayi comes across as uncaring towards the well-being of patients at Life Esidimeni Lorraine and the Algoa Frail Care, at a time … [Read more...] about Sihlwayi’s Spanking

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the findings of Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba following the alleged death of 71 mentally ill patients in Gauteng, who were moved from Life Esidimeni to several incompetent NGOs. The Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi must study this report for the sake of patients affected by the intended closure of the Life Esidimeni Algoa Frail Care Centre and the Lorraine Frail Care Centre in Port Elizabeth. It has been … [Read more...] about EC frail care centre closures: MEC must take note of ombudsman report

Dear MyPE On 24 November Bobby Stevenson, Shadow MEC for Finance and constituency leader for PE south-west, and I visited the Algoa Frail Care Centre and the Lorraine Frail Care Centre and witnessed how profoundly disabled the patients are. These individuals require highly specialised care from specialised people and need full-time attention. They also need specific infrastructure and equipment that is available in these homes. It is quite clear from our interaction at these centres … [Read more...] about Closure of frail care centres is a potential social crisis