The Gauteng Department of Social Development intends to assume control of adoption services from non-profit organizations, sparking significant concern. Despite facing a 2022 Supreme Court ruling declaring their actions unconstitutional and unlawful, the department is appealing the verdict and moving forward with its plans. The department announced via an April memo that it will cease funding social worker salaries at adoption agencies, arguing non-profits can sustain themselves through service fees.
The department aims to offer free adoption services through its 58 social workers, purportedly to prevent child trafficking and the commercialization of adoptions, which it claims is rampant despite stringent regulations under the Children’s Act. However, child protection advocates counter that the fears are exaggerated, emphasizing that the fees, capped and unchanged since 2012, cover essential costs.
The 2022 court case highlighted severe misconduct within the department, with social workers accused of harassment and unfair treatment of adoptive parents. Judge Fiona Dippenaar deemed the national adoption guidelines unconstitutional, citing overreach and inconsistency with the law, yet the department’s appeal has stalled progress. Critics argue the department lacks the specialized expertise required for efficient adoption services, raising concerns about the well-being of vulnerable children in Gauteng.
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groundup.org.za