Hon Deputy Speaker, my response to the question asked by hon Alberts is as follows: The ratio of social workers to total population is currently standing at 1:5 000. We also have about 4 799 student social workers who are in training. It should also be noted that the existing number of social workers reflects only the social workers employed by government. The ratio has, therefore, been calculated based on the existing number of social workers employed by government.
I must mention, though, that we still lose social workers to other sectors of the economy in our country through career change. Hon Deputy Speaker and hon member Alberts will be happy to note that the figures we are referring to indeed offer new entrants a social work career, in addition to those who are already there, and cover the whole spectrum of South Africa's demographic.
The international standard for the established norm and ratio for social workers happens to be 1:5 000. It is a coincidence that we have the same figure, but South Africa is on par with the international standards. There is, however, a demand for more social workers due to the fact that South Africa is a developing country with high levels of poverty, deprivation and HIV incidence, which compounds the problem.
The Department of Social Development has developed a recruitment and retention strategy for social workers, to recruit and retain social workers within our country. As part of the implementation of our strategy in South Africa, we also provide scholarships to students who want to pursue social work as a profession.
Since the inception of this programme, the National Treasury committed an amount of R50 million in the 2007-08 financial year, R105 million in 2008- 09, R210 million in 2009-10, and R22 million in the 2011-12 financial year.
In 2008, 816 students graduated, and 1 600 in 2009. Our department offers career fairs annually to high school students to intensify the marketing of the social work profession. We also implemented, very successfully, the occupation-specific dispensation, OSD. The regrading of social workers' salaries was implemented as part of our retention strategy for social workers, and these are the measures that we are applying in that regard. Thank you. [Applause.]