By Reon Janse van Rensburg

The South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) announced that it wants to increase the annual registration fees for social workers, auxiliary social workers, child and youth workers, students, and specialist social workers for 2021.

According to Solidarity’s Social Workers’ Guild, the SACSSP’s planned fee increase of between 35% and 230% is excessive and unfair.

According to Marisa Engelbrecht, Sector Head of Solidarity’s Social Workers’ Guild, the council offered no explanation for this drastic and inconsistent proposal regarding the increase.

Solidarity’s Social Workers’ Guild who acts as watchdog for this occupation will submit comments on the proposed increases by 15 February.

This will, among other things, include comments about the following:

• The increase of the general annual registration from R444 to R600.
• Students’ registration fee that is increased and now payable from their first year of study for every following year.
• The increase in fees to apply for Continued Professional Development (CPD) training, which resulted in increased training costs.
• Inconsistent percentage increases without motivation.
• The date on which the fees are payable. (The council sent the information on the fees via a letter to social workers on 14 January. On 15 January, the new fees for 2021 will already be published in the Government Gazette for comment, while the fees must already be paid by 31 March.)

Although the comments are not limited to the abovementioned issues, the Social Workers’ Guild will also include alternative proposals for this increase in the comments.

“Social workers and other people working in the profession are people who perform their calling in challenging circumstances and not for financial gain. At the non-profit institutions where most social workers are employed, there are more people calling for help, while many donors had to withdraw financial support due to the lockdown, and no fundraising projects could be organised to supplement funds. These radical increases without any explanation, is absurd and therefore the Social Workers’ Guild are acting on behalf of its members in this profession. We cannot afford to remain silent.” – Marisa Engelbrecht, Sector Head of the Social Workers’ Guild

The Social Workers’ Guild wants to encourage every social worker and person involved in the industry to stand up together with their occupational community and say “no”. As a watchdog for the industry, the Social Workers’ Guild feels strongly about tackling aspects such as those where members are hindered from doing their work effectively. No member stands alone.

Do not keep quiet. The Social Workers’ Guild stands up for you!

Add your name to your occupational community. Send this to your colleagues – https://gildes.solidariteit.co.za/maatskaplike-fooie/