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Social Development in partnership with South African Social Work Organisations to provide assistance to foreign nationals exposed to violence
2 June 2008
Social Development, Minister Dr Zola Skweyiya today met with a group of social work educators and practitioners representing the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA); the African Federation of Social Workers (AFSW); the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI); the National Association of Social Workers, South Africa (NASWSA) and the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) in Pretoria, to discuss how these organisations can assist with social work services for all victims of the recent attacks on foreign nationals.
The social work organisations proposed that, the Department of Social Development collaborate with these groups to form crisis teams that will see the provision of professional trauma counselling and debriefing services to the displaced families and individuals.
The long term objective of this structure will be to implement programmes to prevent xenophobic violence as a result of socio-economic exclusions in the day to day lives of people within South African communities and also to create space for dialogue around all forms of exclusions and oppressions.
The team will also call on expertise from other African countries which have experienced race or ethnicity based violence.
"We welcome the proposals and as I have repeatedly said government cannot work alone in such situations, the Department of Social Development will advance any form of engagement that will ensure a better and secure life for our people and those that have taken refuge in our country", said Minister Skweyiya.
The organisations will meet with the department on Wednesday to present a comprehensive plan to realise the proposal.
For further enquiries contact:
Zingaphi Jakuja
Cell: 074 197 8383
Issued by: Department of Social Development
2 June 2008