Commemoration of Social Work Day is held annually worldwide on the 15th March. The Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape will be celebrating this prestigious event on the 10 March 2026 in Port Alfred, Sarah Baartman District .

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Social Development is one of the leading Departments mandated to respond to the social ills experienced in the communities through provision of a basket of services using a variety of professional approaches and levels of intervention to improve the lives of children, youth, adults and older persons in our communities.

The findings painted a complex and deeply concerning picture one that calls for urgent, multi-sectoral collaboration.

The Department has a responsibility therefore to ensure that these services are rendered by a capable cadre that upholds the values, principles, knowledge and ethics of the social work profession. Social Workers are an important part of a collective social response system and should take a shared responsibility for upholding human rights at all levels. The main focus is to advocate for the rights of people and facilitate outcomes where people take responsibility for each other’s wellbeing, realize and respect inter – dependence among people and between people and the environment.