On 10 September 2025, Oluwatoni Adeleke, IFSW Africa President, Antoinette Lombard, Chair of the Steering Committee to establish the South African Social Workers Association (SASWA), and Pascal Rudin, IFSW Interim Secretary-General, met in Bloemfontein to discuss the next steps in creating a unified professional association for social workers in South Africa.
This meeting was followed by an information session during the 2025 ASASWEI Conference at the University of the Free State. The session provided a detailed insight into the planned process towards the launch of SASWA, including the interim constitution and the next steps for the association. Participants raised important questions and shared valuable inputs, which were warmly welcomed by the committee and will inform the way forward.
The association will provide a national voice for social workers, strengthen advocacy for policy and practice development, and connect South Africa with the global social work community through IFSW.
Oluwatoni Adeleke, Antoinette Lombard and Pascal Rudin
Oluwatoni Adeleke commented: “Social workers in South Africa have worked hard towards building a strong, united platform to represent their voices; it will help to inspire the activities at the upcoming IFSW Africa Region conference in Dakar, Senegal. The establishment of SASWA will be a milestone not only for the profession nationally, but also for the African region and the international social work community. It is about ensuring that the perspectives of South African social workers are heard at all levels.”
Antoinette Lombard added: “This process has been driven by the passion and commitment of colleagues from practice and academia across all provinces. SASWA will be an inclusive, voluntary, and non-partisan body, advancing human rights and social justice through a collective voice. The engagement at the ASASWEI Conference reflects the energy and hope there is for this initiative. Social work in South Africa will be strengthened as practitioners (SASWA) and educators (ASASWEI) join forces to amplify their voice nationally, regionally, and internationally.”
Pascal Rudin concluded: “IFSW warmly welcomes this progress. A nationally organised association will not only empower social workers in South Africa but will also strengthen global solidarity. This wonderful and inspiring progress reflects the resilience and determination of the profession, and IFSW stands ready to support the launch of SASWA later this year.”
The South African Social Workers Association (SASWA) will be formally launched on 20 November 2025 at the Future Africa Campus, University of Pretoria, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the profession in the country.