High heels, long nails, and laziness are a thing of the past for social workers and care providers in Gauteng, as newly appointed MEC for Social Development Faith Mazibuko pledges “so help me God” to eradicate social ills in communities.
Mazibuko directed a clear mandate to the social workers in the province to ensure that people were helped, but warned that failure to do so means “your days are numbered”.
“The are various laws that govern here including social workers that don't do their work. Those days are numbered, they’ll have to do their work, and they’ll have to go and do every case.
“They will no longer wear high heels and have long nails, they will be able to go door-to-door, look for the vulnerable, and solve their cases,” she said.
Mazibuko was one of the Executive Council members who were sworn-in officially on Wednesday night in Johannesburg.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced his council that will serve in the 7th administration of the government of provincial unity.
Mazibuko said it was time for people to be treated with dignity, stressing that her department and social workers will come to the rescue.
“They need to make sure that no one goes to bed hungry, no child misses school because they don’t have uniform, shoes or there’s no food at home,” she added.
Social ills vary from poverty, drug addiction, crime, unemployment, healthcare, sexual abuse, violence, gender inequality, and overpopulation.
She was the MEC for this department in 2014 and now she has returned.
“I have served in this department before, I used to tell them that I am an auxiliary social worker, so the auxiliary social worker is back again. I am going to make sure they do their work,” he stated.
Mazibuko further called on people facing social problems to come forward and get help so that “we have a healthy nation”.
“We have young people that are in need, but they will get help and (we will) do away with drugs, including hubbly-bubbly,” she said.
Furthermore, she emphasised a need to partner with the NGOs so that the government is not the only one helping the people.
IOL Politics