Social workers have become the latest target for criminal syndicates demanding cash \u201cas a protection fee\u201d in Cape Town.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Delft, they tell us if you want to go out (and) be safe, give us money,\u201d Annemie van Reenen, chief director of service delivery, management and coordination in the Western Cape Department of Social Development, told the standing committee on social development at a briefing in the provincial legislature on Friday.<\/p>\n
Officials from the City of Cape Town mobility department and the South African Police Service (SAPS) also attended.<\/p>\n
Van Reenen said two recent incidents were reported by staff in Delft, where they were threatened by extortionists. This was a concern because the community had always protected social workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know we\u2019ve got laptops and cellphones \u2026 It is terrible. I get messages [from social workers] to say they can\u2019t cope anymore. Then we have to remove them to another area. They are hugely traumatised,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
This inevitably has a negative knock-on impact in communities that rely on this essential service.<\/p>\n
In August, GroundUp reported<\/a> on the Province\u2019s call for the justice department to implement harsher penalties for attacks on social workers after an \u201calarming increase\u201d in attacks on social workers. The committee had asked the justice minister to classify attacks against social workers as an \u201coffence against the state\u201d, with harsher legal consequences. But there is yet to be a response.<\/p>\n Tsekiso Machike, justice ministry spokesperson, replied to GroundUp that the letter was received and the minister \u201cis applying her mind\u201d and \u201camenable to the idea of the meeting\u201d with the Western Cape Social Development Committee.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2060The Department is indeed concerned about the persistent attack against social workers or persons performing public function.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 2019, 41 incidents were reported, including six robberies and assaults, and 35 hijackings and attempted hijackings. Most of these happened in a period of less than 18 months, according to the department.<\/p>\n Hotspot areas include Khayelitsha, Eerste River, Wynberg, Crossroads, Philippi, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Delft, Mitchells Plain, Paarl East and Langa.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had people that were so severely traumatised that they were off for six months or more,\u201d said Van Reenen. Urgent social worker cases had to be reallocated to social workers already dealing with heavy caseloads.<\/p>\n The department has implemented safety measures, such as removing government branding from cars, changing number plates, sending more than one staff member into hotspot areas at a time, and having regular meetings with community policing forums.<\/p>\n After the meeting, SAPS Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile told GroundUp, \u201cIt\u2019s the first time that we hear that some government officials have been extorted. We must make sure we nip this thing in the bud.\u201d<\/p>\n He urged people to use the Western Cape SAPS toll-free number 08 0031 4444 to report extortion.<\/p>\n On Monday, Wendy Kaizer-Philander (DA), chairperson of the social development committee, said in a statement that social workers already at risk of attacks and hijackings, now face the threat of extortionists as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThe R20-million spent on overtime to accommodate the need for two social workers per case in high-risk areas is straining the department\u2019s resources. Doubling up on cases reduces the overall number of cases that can be handled, stretching the department\u2019s already limited capacity,\u201d said Kaizer-Philander.<\/p>\n This article was first published by GroundUp<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Social workers have become the latest target for criminal syndicates demanding cash \u201cas a protection fee\u201d in Cape Town. \u201cIn Delft, they tell us if you want to go out<\/p>\n