Nine thousand social workers are unemployed, and a million learners are in crisis

A recent parliamentary reply from Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube reveals a stark reality: just 761 social services professionals are left to cover South Africa’s entire public education sector, with further expansion blocked by tight budget caps. Compounding this financial freeze, critical regulations to formalise school social work have been stalled in administrative limbo since 2020, leaving overextended teachers to navigate a mounting classroom mental health crisis entirely alone. Above: More than 130 learners are packed into a classroom at Ntapane Junior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape.