THE Department of Social Development (DSD) Lower Umfolozi social workers and their acting service manager are at each others throats again.
Employees say he abuses them emotionally.
Last Monday they downed tools and approached the Ngwelezane Magistrate’s Court to seek protection orders.
They allege on Friday, 19 February a female supervisor had papers thrown back at her and ‘a finger poked at her’ as she submitted work to the acting manager.
‘The supervisor was so traumatized, she is currently undergoing psychological treatment,’ the social workers said.
‘We feel unsafe, especially us women.’
The workers also claim he has even stopped their morning prayers, accusing them of wasting time.
They also complain about being given old, worn-out vehicles to attend social cases, while an administration officer whom they allege was brought over to DSD Lower Umfolozi by the acting manager, drives the best department car, sometimes keeping it for the whole weekend.
The social workers are adamant they have done all they can to have the department resolve the impasse, to no avail.
DSD response
Responding to the accusations, the Department of Social Development’s Media Liaison Officer, Ncumisa Fandesi, said the head of department is working towards resolving the matter.
Fandesi claimed employees had never raised their grievances with the department.
‘Since July last year we have been experiencing the same problem with the Lower Umfolozi social workers.They keep shifting the goal posts and the problems keep
cropping up in many forms. This is tiring.
‘I don’t understand why they cannot return to work after they obtained the protection orders.
