Katherine Brink points at damp damage inside the Social Development offices. Photos: Melkbos.net

The offices in Milnerton from which social workers fled are being fixed. In the past two days workers have already improved the ramp leading into the offices of Social Development in the Milpark building.

They added safety strips which provide a grip for people in wet weather. Workers were also trying to locate leaks. Damage that resulted from damp is clearly visible: a panel in the ceiling above the computer rotted away and elsewhere on the ceiling damp patches show.

A gaping hole above a computer.

Only some skeleton staff members were in the Social Development offices yesterday. Two lone women sat waiting for social workers. They currently work from premises in Goodwood, and have to drive through to Milnerton to see their clients. According to the head of the Little Brinks organisation, Katherine Brink, who works closely with the 22 social workers, the offices were packed on Monday and Tuesday.

Katherine Brink: “My stress is that if anything happens to a social worker.”

Brink says she spoke out about the condition of the offices in the media as she was concerned about the social workers’ health. “It’s not picking a fight,” she tells Melkbos.net. “My stress is that if anything happens to a social worker. Their case loads are so big …”

The social workers started complaining about conditions in 2014, and ended up consulting patients from inside their cars, in the little park across the road from their offices, and a church.