Question NW2814 to the Minister of Social Development
17 October 2022 - NW2814
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1) What number of Social Workers are (a) employed and (b) funded by her department, but are employed in a Non-profit Organisation (NPO) in each province? (2) What are the salaries of Social Workers at the different levels of seniority within her department in each province? (3) What are the salaries of Social Workers at the different levels of seniority within the NPO sector that are funded by her department in each province? (4) What are the reasons that the salaries of Social Workers employed by her department differ from the Social Workers who are funded by her department but are employed by an NPO?
Reply:
(a) (b) The department funds programmes in NPOs which is inclusive of operational costs to fill posts. The department does not fund individual posts in an NPO.
There are 7 102 social workers employed by the NPO Sector across the country.
The table below reflects the number of Social Workers employed by NPOs in the nine provincial departments based on the programme funding received from the Department.
PROVINCE |
NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS EMPLOYED IN NPOs |
Eastern Cape |
1 638 |
Free State |
409 |
Gauteng |
2 311 |
KwaZulu Natal |
1 111 |
Limpopo |
136 |
Mpumalanga |
328 |
Northern Cape |
69 |
North West |
No response |
Western Cape |
1 100 |
Total |
|
2. The salaries of Social Workers and Supervisors/managers employed in the public service range from grades 1 to 4 and 1 to 2 respectively as prescribed by the Occupational Specific Dispersion (OSD) for Social Service Professionals (SSPs). In every Province these would range within these scales.
The table below reflects the categories of Social Workers and their respective salaries within the Public Service.
OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORY |
SALARY NOTCH |
|
Social work |
Grade 1 |
R261, 456 – R303, 093 |
Grade 2 |
R321, 546 – R369, 258 |
|
Grade 3 |
R389, 991 – R452, 106 |
|
Grade 4 |
R 479, 640 – R 589, 896 |
|
Social Work Supervisor |
Grade 1 |
R 389, 991 – R 452, 106 |
Grade 2 |
R 479, 640 – R 725, 517 |
|
Social Work Manager |
Grade 1 |
R 806, 811 – R 908, 085 |
Grade 2 |
R 806, 811 – R 1 116, 931 |
|
Social Work policy Developer |
Grade 1 |
R 369, 268 – R 413, 739 |
Grade 2 |
R 439, 945 – R 589, 896 |
|
Social Work Policy Manager |
Grade 1 |
R 806, 811 – R 908, 085 |
Grade 2 |
R 963, 387 – R 1 116, 831 |
3. Salaries of social Workers vary from NPO to NPO and Province to Province depending on the funds, sponsors and donations they receive.
Below are the examples of salaries paid to Social Workers in Gauteng, Western Cape and Eastern Cape based of DSD Programme funding.
Province |
Professional Posts |
Annual Allocation |
Gauteng |
Assistant Director |
R 285, 084 |
Chief Social Work |
R 233, 784 |
|
Social Work |
R 174, 456 |
|
Social Auxiliary Work |
R 141, 168 |
|
Western Cape |
Social Work Manager |
R 547, 884 |
Social Work Supervisor |
R 299, 688 |
|
Social Work |
R 198, 132 |
|
Eastern Cape |
Social Work |
R 135, 187 |
Principal Social Work |
R 203, 553 |
4. Salaries in the Public Service are determined centrally by the Department of Public Service and Administration. Social Workers in the Public Service fall within the Occupation-Specific Dispensation (OSD) for Social Services Professionals (SSPs), which are tailor-made to ensure staff retention. `
The appointment of Social Workers in the NPO sector is guided by the employment policies of the various organisations and their respective management boards. The salaries of social workers are dependent on the subsidy that the department gives to the NPO, which is informed by the allocations it receives from National Treasury. It is also based on the ability of the NPO’s to source funding from other sources outside of government.