Thanks, Nonhlanhla for the excellent article articulating daunting challenges confronting social work practitioners in their daily work within this noble profession.

Much as the situation is disheartening at times, it also provides an opportunity to conceptualize and implement innovative approaches in order to mitigate the impact of these challenges.

Some of the possible solutions that can be explored are the following:

1. Establish support groups and networks for debriefing and re-capacitating of social work practitioners.

2. Establishing policy and advocacy platforms where these challenges can be discussed with relevant governing authorities and solutions can be generated.

3. Review and conduct ongoing research studies and international best practices pertaining to these challenges and use them as a basis for funding and resource allocation.

4. Continually review the norms and standards pertaining to social work services at various situations and set appropriate standards, basic conditions of employment and fair remuneration accordingly. 

5. Convene workshops and seminars with relevant role players in the social work fraternity such as Social Workers in public, and private practice, SABSWA, Council for Social Services Professionals, Department of Social Development, Rize Up Social Work Initiative, Health and Welfare Seta, Universities, etc.

6. Engage Universities to continually review social work curriculum to be more relevant to current and future conditions and challenges facing social workers.

7.  Implore the Department of Social Development in collaboration with the SA Council of Social Services Professions to convene an annual awards ceremony to recognize excellence and best practices in the social work profession.

Submitted by: Rapelang Leshotho 

In my personal capacity for social justice advocacy.

Rapelangl@gmail.com

+27 614624102

Dated: 10.10.2023