Good morning ladies and gentlemen,
I believe the launch of this new office will contribute towards empowering the Bredasdorp community when it comes to tackling the social ills they face, in partnership with our government.
Unfortunately Bredasdorp has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately. The most vulnerable segments of our society, our women and children, have suffered greatly at the hands of people who have no regard for human life.
Ms. Anene Booysen, a young woman in the prime of her life, was brutally raped and murdered over a year ago. And on the anniversary of her death the body of 5 year old Kayde Williams was found dumped in the bushes in Bredasdorp.
The question many people from this community and the rest of the province have asked is “when will the violence stop?”
I believe that the only way we can put an end to this senseless violence is if all of us work together to protect our women and children.
This is what we mean when we talk about a whole of society approach. It envisages all three spheres of government, religious leaders, business, non-governmental organisations and communities working in partnership to tackle this violence and its root causes, including alcohol and drug abuse.
We envisage that our new Bredasdorp local office will play an important role when it comes to providing critical services to surrounding community that will help them overcome these problems and improve their lives.
The local office will bring the total number of Department of Social Development (DSD) offices across the province to 38 falling under the 6 regional offices.
The office will provide:
- child care and protection services
- probation services
- substance abuse interventions
- And family and parenting support services to the surrounding community.
I would like to use this opportunity to thank the social workers who will be working at this office for your commitment and hard work.
While we will be offering support to families it is critical that parents, especially fathers, take greater responsibility for the wellbeing and safety of their children. No government can substitute for committed, caring parents, who serve as role models for their children. This is the foundation stone of any functional society.
I hope this office space serves as a hub for new collaborative initiatives and interventions aimed at improving the lives of residents in Bredasdorp in the future.
We have provided this space and services in your community, but now it’s up to you, the public, to work with us. I am certain that if we work better together, we can create a stronger and safer community in Bredasdorp.
I thank you.
