COSATU concerned about reports of attacks on social workers

CAPE TOWN - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said it’s concerned about the reports of attacks on social workers.

The Western Cape Department of Social Development this week revealed that 54 cases of attacks on social workers were recorded over the last 16 months.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is now calling for crimes against social workers to be classified as a crime against the state.

COSATU believes governmental departments haven’t been communicating effectively with other entities about the attacks on social workers.

It's calling for all necessary departments to work together to form relationships with security agencies, specifically to address the issue.

COSATU’s provincial chairperson, Motlatsi Tsubane, said the federation would meet with its affiliate, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU), on how to approach the issue.  

"The respective department is responsible for the safety of its employees. Therefore, even departments must formulate or form a relationship with the security agencies within our province, within the country, because if you can look, these departments, they don't speak to one another. They speak past one another. Yet, they need one another."

Tsubane added that an attack on social workers was an attack on the community.