Every school should have social worker, says govt, but it will be costly

The beleaguered social development department told Parliament the private sector must "take responsibility" for the R9 billion needed to produce more social workers and place professionals at all public schools. 

Briefing the Social Development Portfolio Committee on Wednesday, department director-general Linton Mchunu said it was engaging with Business Unity South Africa (Busa) - the private sector's lobby group - to increase the number of social workers across the country. 

Mchunu presented the department's performance outcomes for the April to June period, which showed it had underspent around 5% of its three-month target, spending more than R63.1 billion of the budgeted R263 billion.