GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - “Our social worker – Ms Liesl Siljeur – welcomed us with warmth and loved us as her own. She guided my sister and I through the transitioning process [into foster care].” – Nomfihlakalo Twala, fifth year medical student.
Over 42 000 children are in the Western Cape’s foster system.
This includes children who have been placed with relatives or with non-familial foster parents, as well as those in a Cluster Foster Care Scheme, which is a system where multiple foster homes, managed by an NPO, are registered to provide foster care for up to six children in a home environment.
Nomfihlakalo Twala – or Fifi as she prefers – used to be one of these children. She and her sister were placed with her aunt after their mother died in 2016 while they were at school.
Fifi says it was a difficult period for her and her sister, as their mother was their whole world, but social workers from the Western Cape Department of Social Development, like Ms Liesl Siljeur and Ms Chandre Pienaar, along with her teachers, helped her and her family with the transition.
Nearly a decade after being placed in foster care, Fifi is now a fifth-year medical student at the University of Cape Town, with a bright future ahead of her.
Fifi recently shared her inspirational story with a group of foster children from Zweletemba – where she grew up – during the department’s Foster Child Dialogue on 3 October.
The dialogue gave a platform for children in the care system to share their hopes, challenges, and concerns with social workers.
Fifi said, “You may feel neglected or have experienced insults in your community. Life may not have started easy for you, but it does not have to be the end of your story. Use the pain, those traumatic memories, let them teach you something and push you to be a better version of yourself. Life doesn’t end in Zweletemba or Worcester. You just need to keep pushing, reach for the opportunities that are out there, and ask for help when you need it. I believe in your story.”
DSD’s funding allocation for Child Protection and Child and Youth Care services increased from R370 million in 2024/2025 to R402 million in 2025/2026.
Western Cape Minister of Social Development Jaco Londt said, “We see the need for child protection services growing every year. It is easy to become despondent. But then you hear stories like Fifi’s, and you are reminded of the incredibly important work of DSD. Fifi’s story is one of incredible resilience, perseverance, and hope. She is an inspiration to us all. Her story also highlights the significant impact of social workers in the lives of vulnerable residents. Social Development Month is about honouring all those in the social services sector – whether in government or NGOs and NPOs – for the invaluable role they play in uplifting and shaping lives and communities. Thank you to all these incredible people for their tireless efforts.”
He added, “There are so many more children like Fifi who have the potential to reach amazing heights, and I wish to encourage residents to see how they can get involved in supporting them. You can become a safety or foster parent. Or you can help organisations through the Cape Care Fund, which is aimed at boosting the resilience of NGOs and NPOs.”
To access more information about services offered by the department call our toll-free number on 0800 220 250, send an email to SD.CustomerCare@westerncape.gov.za, or visit here or for information about how you can support organisations, visit here.
IMAGE FOR MEDIA USE (L-R):
