22nd February, 2008

The Forum has, at its Biennial General Assembly, held in Midrand on 20-22 February 2008, resolved that amendments to the Social Service Professions Bill be recommended as follows:

1. Section 9

The Council, in keeping with fundamental democratic principles, should consist of persons of whom the majority is democratically elected by members of the social service professions, from among candidates nominated by them. Persons appointed by the Minister as nominees from various constituencies should be in the minority. In addition, for reasons of cost and efficiency, the total number of Council members should be considerably reduced. Community members and representatives of educational institutions should be deployed in the respective Professional Boards rather than on the Council. 

2. Section  22

Before the Minister designates any profession as a social service profession, or defines or amends the scope of any profession, a very thorough consultative process should be required. Twenty-one days’ notice in the Government Gazette does not meet the necessary standard in this regard. It should be required that there be consultative meetings with all relevant stakeholder groups in civil society as well as government, and that a fully participative process be followed in drawing up the relevant frameworks.

Our Forum will be available to engage with Government in any further discussions about these issues which may be necessary.

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