South Africa to allocate R3.8 billion for more than 3,500 social workers — Daily Maverick
In South Africa, the medium-term budget statement provides R3.8 billion to hire more than 3,500 social workers to strengthen the prevention of gender-based violence and femicide. As Daily Maverick reports, the funds are to be allocated amid a rising number of murders and attacks on women.
Funding for the protection of women
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana also announced the allocation of R186 million to strengthen forensic and investigative capacity. The number of sexual offences courts is planned to increase from 55 to 101, while the number of Thuthuzela Care Centres, which provide support to rape survivors, is set to rise from 72 to 80 by the 2028/29 financial year.
A further R157.4 million has been allocated to the Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities to improve nationwide coordination and oversight of the government’s response to gender-based violence and femicide.
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Savings and support for children
The government expects to free up R6.2 billion through enhanced verification of social grant recipients. The Treasury forecasts that about 700,000 fraudulent recipients will be removed from the social assistance programme by the 2029/30 financial year. The savings are planned to be reallocated to combating violence against women, femicide, child malnutrition and stunting.
The Social Relief of Distress programme will be extended for another year. Going forward, its recipients are planned to be linked to employment, training and business support opportunities through the MzansiXchange pilot project, which enables government departments to share data. The adjusted budget allocates R150 million to develop the technical capabilities of the digital service unit and the MyMzansi app.
Separately, R1.6 billion over the medium term will be directed to measures against child malnutrition and stunting, focused on antenatal care and the first 1,000 days of life.
