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This article examines the transformation of social work in South Africa in response to the transition to a developmental welfare approach. Always moulding and shaping itself in response to its social context, social work in South Africa, as elsewhere, is a reflection of the broader political landscape. In South Africa the social work profession has struggled to assert its independence and become self-regulating. It is unique in the Western world in that since 1978 it has been regulated by a legislatively constituted statutory council. While the profession has tried to transform itself in the new democracy, outside pressures have found it wanting and deeply divided. Thus, despite progress in other areas social workers have not yet been successful in forming a strong, united professional association and this severely limits its ability to lobby politicians and advocate on behalf of clients. It seems, however, that the tide is turning and social workers are gaining recognition but, once again, the challenge remains deciding on the extent to which the profession cooperates with the government's agenda for change. Social work educators took the lead in setting education standards in response to higher education policy and are also playing a part in devising practice standards through their involvement in the social work board which falls under the umbrella of the Council for Social Service Professions. However, education and practice are somewhat out of step and professional unity remains a pressing issue on social work's transformation agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origins of the social work profession are in industrialized Europe and North America, as attempts were made to respond to the societal needs of the time. It soon spread across western and southern countries including South Africa, where it followed similar trends. Throughout its existence the profession of social work has tended to focus on the management of dependency brought about by poverty, on the one hand and on the other the protection and promotion of the rights of individuals and groups in society. In so doing, it has grappled with issues of professionalization, of defining its boundaries and relationship to other professions, and of establishing its own professional identity. It has attempted to respond to diverse needs and social challenges, in the process developing a generalist approach while promoting increasing specialization in specific fields of practice such as child welfare, ageing, disability, mental health and corrections. The development of social work education was an important part of social work's professionalization. Professional associations of social workers in South Africa developed as initiatives through which social workers sought to protect and give voice to their interests.

This article highlights the complexities involved in transforming South Africa's historically divided, selective and wasteful welfare system into a redistributive one aimed at a more equitable and just system of social provision. Ways have to be found to retain the best of the present welfare structure while simultaneously transforming it to meet the needs of the whole population. Since the country cannot afford to replicate the urban welfare structure in rural and undeveloped areas, a new approach is needed. Increasingly, the social development perspective is emerging as the most appropriate welfare model for South Africa. Further, the article discusses recent welfare policy initiatives in South Africa. Two approaches to welfare are discussed: the social services approach and the developmental approach. Finally, the meaning of "a developmental welfare approach" is explored and recommendations regarding the challenges facing social workers wanting to be proactively involved in social development programmes are made.

In 1998, James Midgley issued a challenge for scholars to provide a systematic description and examination of the South African experience in implementing social development. This article attempts to meet this challenge by examining the progress of developmental welfare or social development in the first ten years of South Africa's transition to democracy under African National Congress (ANC) rule. In this article it is argued that because social development marries social and economic goals, one cannot evaluate developmental welfare or social development without examining shifts in economic policy. Thus, it also examines economic policy transitions from development, to growth, to black economic empowerment. It shows how social security has become the major poverty alleviation measure within the developmental welfare system. It acknowledges that it is tough for developmental welfare to succeed in an economic system that promotes gross income disparities and a widening gap between rich and poor. Social development needs widespread institutional support to succeed and this is unlikely to be forthcoming while there is high unemployment, low economic growth and insufficient foreign investment. However, this state of affairs is unlikely to change as long as the government intervenes in the economy, promotes black economic empowerment and centralises decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses community development in South Africa. South Africa, which is the most industrialized country in Africa, is often referred to as a first-world country in a third-world continent. In a country in which former apartheid rule served to "under-develop" the majority of South Africa's population while the minority portion held on to power and control through social, political and economic inequalities, the task for the new government was to "reconstruct develop". Poverty is an issue of great concern for all of South Africa. A major characteristic of urban poverty is the emergence of sprawling informal settlements comprising illegal squatters. Social and economic development was needed in South Africa. Many people live in communities with little or no infrastructure and in social conditions which perpetuate the country's problems of violence, poverty, ill health, illiteracy and a plethora of related issues faced by South Africans and the government. Community development is a method that is very attractive because it promotes empowerment and holds the people to be the key factor in their development. The concept of community development requires contributions at each level of development projects. Community development as a capacity-building process is used to help areas become self- sustaining. It involves contributions from a variety of directions.