About Us

Our Vision

A caring and self-reliant society.

Our Mission

Provision of integrated comprehensive and sustainable social development services.

Values

The following values and ethos have been identified for Social Development:

• Human dignity: is a fundamental human right that must be protected in terms of the Constitution of South Africa and facilitates freedoms, justice and peace.
• Respect: is showing regard for one another and the people we serve and is a fundamental value for the realization of development goals.
• Integrity: is ensuring that we are consistent with our values, principles, actions, and measures and thus generate trustworthiness amongst ourselves and with our stakeholders.
• Fairness: expresses our commitment to providing services to all South Africans without prejudice based on race, gender, religion or creed.
• Equality : we seek to ensure equal access to services, participation of citizens in the decisions that affect their lives and the pursuit of equity imperatives where imbalances exist.

Batho Pele Principles

We seek to embody the Batho-Pele Principles in our efforts so as to ensure that our service provision is done in humane ways and results in positive and sustainable outcomes for the citizens of South Africa.

• Consultation: people should be consulted about the level and quality of services they receive, and wherever possible, be given a choice.
• Service standards: people should be told what level and quality of services they will receive.
• Access: all citizens should have equal access to the services to which they are entitled.
• Courtesy: all people should be treated with courtesy and consideration.
• Information: people should be given full, accurate information about the services they receive.
• Openness and transparency: about how the department is run, how much it costs, and who is in charge.
• Redress: if a promised standard of service is not delivered, people should be offered an apology, an explanation and a speedy remedy. When complaints are made, people should receive a sympathetic, positive response.
• Value for money: public services should be provided economically and efficiently.

MEC for the DSD

HOD for the DSD

Shouneez Kimmie Wookey is the Head of the Department of Social Development, with a distinguished career spanning over two decades.  She began her professional journey at PricewaterhouseCoopers before joining the Department, where she progressed through various senior roles, including Chief Financial Officer, before being appointed to Head the Department. 

With a strong foundation in finance and auditing, she has successfully transitioned into the field of development finance.  Ms. Kimmie-Wookey holds postgraduate degrees in Accounting and Auditing, Forensic Auditing, and Development Finance.

She is firmly committed to protecting children’s rights, advancing family preservation, and driving initiatives that empower communities to become self-sufficient and reduce their reliance on government food assistance.
Ms. Kimmie-Wookey prioritizes the well-being of the dedicated personnel in the Department of Social Development as crucial to achieving the Department’s vision. 

She asserts that organizational success depends on unwavering integrity, strong ethics, accountability, honesty, innovation, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to a people-centered approach.