Question NW1844 to the Minister of Social Development

Reply:

(1) What are the reasons that managers of child and youth care centres are precluded from receiving funded remuneration from her department, despite the fact that the Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005, requires a manager to be appointed;

• The Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005, Chapter 13, Part 1 gives mandate to the MEC for social development to establish child and youth care centres. The managers of child and youth care centres managed by Department of Social Development (state run facilities) are remunerated according to the Public Service Act, 1994 and Public Service Regulations, 2016 as amended.

(2) what are the reasons that the manager’s post and the social worker’s post cannot be a combined post when there is no funding available for the manager’s post;

• The creation and registration of a social work post and that of social work manager is guided by the Social Service Professions Act 110 of 1978. The two (2) posts are distinct in nature with separate work content.

(3) if her department does not allow funding for a manager, what are the reasons that the reporting requirements are so onerous as to require a manager to meet such requirements?

• The Department is busy developing a strategy for employment of social services professionals which is inclusive of social work occupational categories. The strategy is also considering the social work manager / supervisors. A process of obtaining funding from the National Treasury is underway.
• The reporting requirements are determined by the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) in accordance with the government prescripts.