By Lee-Yandra Paulsen
As extortion rises across South Africa, social workers in Delft have become the latest victims, underscoring the growing threat to those serving vulnerable communities in the Western Cape. The situation has raised serious concerns about the safety of essential workers.
Western Cape Minister for Social Development, Jaco Londt, explained, “We need to view this in the broader context of the past five years. Since April 2019, there have been 41 attacks on social workers, including hijackings, attempted hijackings, and robberies. The demand for extortion money is a new phenomenon, first reported in Delft.”
He went on to describe two recent incidents. “In one case, just before a social worker went out, they received a warning: to ensure their safety, they needed to pay a protection fee. In another instance, a professional from the department was meeting a client while another social worker was asked to pay a protection fee simply to park safely. Both incidents occurred last month.”
Londt emphasized that the Department of Social Development has had to implement a buddy system for safety, but this comes with additional costs. “The need to double our human resources to ensure protection is placing a significant financial strain on the department,” he added.
Listen to the full interview below
VOC News
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