It is going to be a tough three months for social work professionals based in Nelson Mandela Metro municipality. They will be required to be at work for 24 hours, starting from May to August 2010.
The district plan for the duration of the world cup was presented during the event dubbed 40 days countdown to the kick off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament, which Nelson Mandela Metro is one of the host cities.
Social workers, probation officers and child and youth care workers will all operate on roaster basis from 28 May to 28 August 2010.
"We request that officials don't go on leave during this time. It only the request, it will be an instruction when there is non-compliance to the request," District Manager Thembile Ngqabayi explained.
It is understood that Nelson Mandela Metro will be flocked by tourists during this period and the department needed to come up with its intervention plan. Areas of intervention will include substance abuse, older persons, crime prevention, people with disability, child care and protection, victim empowerment, HIV and AIDS and families. Prevention, early intervention, statutory intervention and re-integration will be the levels of integration by the department. This refers to crime prevention, human trafficking, and child and women abuse.
All social workers will be trained on issues related to human trafficking, counselling and debriefing of survivors. There will also be awareness programmes on human trafficking. The department will also, in collaboration with other government departments, organise mini 2010 FIFA world cup street soccer tournaments to keep school children busy during school holidays.
Erica Child and Youth Care Centre, Protea Child and Youth Care Centre and Enkuselweni Child and Youth Care Centre will be designated for re-unification and placement services for displaced children during the world cup period. Seventy beds are available in these centres.
Three social workers and one supervisor, child and youth care worker and driver will be on call during each shift. 07h30 to 17h00, 17h00 to 02h00 and 02h00 to 07h30 will be the shifts to be followed by those who will be on call for duty.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
5 May 2010
Source: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.socdev.ecprov.gov.za/)
