OBSTACLES AND FACILITATIVE OPPORTUNITIES WHILE STUDYING SOCIAL WORK WITHIN AN OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING CONTEXT

The current number of registered social workers in South Africa is insufficient to meet the demands of the national welfare system (Earle, 2008:150). Earle (2008:49-58) bases this statement on various factors and estimations. In 2005 the vacancy rates within the Department of Social Development were on average 37.9%. Because of the salary differential between the public and private welfare sector, it is likely that the vacancy rate within the NGO sector is even higher. Based on the estimated population growth between 2005 and 2015 and the annual requirements for social workers, calculated at the current ratio of 23.6 social workers per 100 000 of the population, an additional 468 social workers will be needed by 2015. Vacancies created by retirement, death, emigration, social workers taking employment opportunities outside of social work, and voluntary exit from the labour market because of family responsibilities also need to be taken into account. An estimated total of 3 970 new social workers will be needed by 2015 to fill these vacancies. Calculations also need to take into account the government’s norms and standards regarding social worker-to-population ratios – translated into numbers of social workers per 100 000 of the population; these norms are roughly 20 (urban), 22 (peri-urban) and 33 (rural). If these norms are implemented, the current shortfall of social workers employed in welfare is 7 631. More social workers will also be needed to implement governmental programmes or legislation. Barberton (in Earle, 2008:54) estimates that 67 507 social workers will be needed in 2010/2011 to fulfil the requirements of the Children’s Act (38 of 2005). Although these estimations are fragmented and incomplete and do not add up to a clear total, they do convey the point that the demand for social workers in South Africa is considerably higher than the current numbers available within the labour market (Earle, 2008:58)