9 000 unemployed social workers in SA, 1 200 vacancies remain
9 July 2023
The DA calls on the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, to urgently implement measures to fill the vacant social worker positions and address the shortages.
Despite the severe shortage of employed social workers in the country, the Department of Social Development has failed to fill the 1 279 vacant posts across the country.
In the Free State, 101 posts have been vacant for 8 years, while the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have failed to fill their respective 151 and 107 vacancies for 5 and 4 years.
The other provinces have had vacancies for between 6 months and 2 years. This was revealed by the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, in answer to a written parliamentary question from the DA.