WELCOME
It is with a great sense of responsibility and commitment that I share this first communiqué from the President’s Desk since the appointment of the current ASASWEI Executive Committee. At the outset, we extend our sincere appreciation to the previous Executive Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Poppy Masinga, for their stewardship of the Association and for delivering a successful conference hosted at the University of the Free State in September 2026. Their work has left a firm foundation upon which we now build.
The newly elected Executive Committee is constituted as follows:
President: Prof Mpumelelo Ncube (University of the Free State)
Vice President: Prof Zibonele Zimba (University of Johannesburg)
Secretary: Prof Priscalia Khosa (University of Johannesburg)
Treasurer: Dr Fatima Mmusi (University of Johannesburg)
International Representative: Dr Nevashnee Perumal (Nelson Mandela University)
We are appreciative of the confidence placed in us by all Departments and Schools of Social Work across South Africa to advance the ideals and mission of ASASWEI. Over the past five months of our tenure, the Executive convened a Special General Meeting (SGM), during which members adopted amendments to the Association’s constitution and mandated the Executive to engage the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) on the unfolding genocide in Gaza.
Guided by the ethical commitments of the social work profession and the global definition of social work, the Executive sought engagement with the IASSW to call upon Schools of Social Work in Israel to account for the grave humanitarian crisis and the devastating loss of life in Gaza. ASASWEI’s position was informed by a fundamental principle of social work: that injustice anywhere must concern us everywhere. The consequences of such conflicts reverberate across communities, including educators, students, and the communities that form the foundation of the social work field education.
We further called on the IASSW to take a principled and unequivocal position on what has become the most significant humanitarian catastrophe during our term of office. Regrettably, the response from the IASSW did not demonstrate the clarity and moral courage required of a global body representing a profession grounded in social justice and human rights. Consequently, ASASWEI has decided to temporarily disengage from its membership with the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) until such time that we are, indeed, assured of an even-handed and principled commitment to justice and human dignity across all contexts, consistent with the way the organisation responded to injustices in Ukraine.
Our disengagement should be understood not as retreat, but as an act of principled protest against the selective and diplomatic responses to a humanitarian crisis that has persisted for almost three years. We reiterate that, as an Association committed to the values of the profession, we cannot remain silent in the face of suffering and injustice. At the same time, ASASWEI will continue to explore other avenues through which we can stand in solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza and all communities facing systemic injustice across the world.
In January, the Executive Committee convened a two-day strategic planning session in Rosebank, Johannesburg. This process allowed us to reflect critically on the role of ASASWEI and to chart a forward-looking agenda for the remainder of this term and possibly towards 2030. From this process, five strategic priorities were identified:
The Executive has since developed and adopted key performance indicators aligned with these priorities. These will guide the work of the Association and provide a framework through which all member institutions can collectively contribute to strengthening social work education in South Africa.
As part of strengthening the Association’s communication and knowledge-sharing platforms, the Executive has also appointed GEBO Website Developer as the new manager of the ASASWEI website. We look forward to working closely with GEBO to transform the website into a dynamic platform that reflects the work, scholarship, and collective voice of our member institutions. At the same time, we extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. Bobby Bezuidenhout, who served as the Association’s website manager since its inception.
The month of March marks International Social Work Month, an important moment for reflection and action across the profession. As part of this year’s programme, ASASWEI will co-host a national colloquium on the absorption of social work graduates into the labour market. The colloquium will bring together stakeholders from government, the NGO sector, the statutory body, academia, graduates, and civil society. Hosted at the University of the Free State and co-convened by the UFS Department of Social Work, ASASWEI, and the Department of Social Development, the event will focus on developing practical strategies to improve the employment pathways of social work graduates. It will also explore innovative approaches to repositioning and strengthening the professional identity of social work graduates within the broader labour market.
As we enter the graduation season across our universities, ASASWEI extends its heartfelt congratulations to all Departments and Schools of Social Work for successfully leading the Class of 2025 to graduation both undergraduate and postgraduate students. We also take this moment to congratulate colleagues who have attained academic promotions since September 2025, recognising their commitment to scholarship, teaching, and leadership within the academy. In the same spirit, we acknowledge and commend colleagues who have facilitated impactful, engaged scholarship projects within their respective communities, strengthening the relationship between their departments and society. Furthermore, we celebrate those who have successfully published their scholarly work on both local and international platforms during this period. ASASWEI takes immense pride in these collective achievements, which continue to advance the quality, visibility, and influence of social work education and scholarship in South Africa.
This year’s Social Work Month theme is:
“Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society.”
ASASWEI calls upon all member Schools and Departments of Social Work to actively engage with this theme through activities, dialogues, and initiatives within their institutions and communities. We invite Heads of Departments to contribute short written or recorded messages for publication on the ASASWEI website. We also encourage students to share their activities and reflections as part of World Social Work Day and the broader Social Work Month commemorations.
At a time when hope is increasingly fragile in many parts of the world, social work education must remain a beacon of critical thought, ethical leadership, and social transformation. As educators and scholars, our work extends beyond classrooms and publications; it is ultimately about nurturing graduates who possess the courage and intellectual clarity to confront structural injustices and to advocate for the dignity and well-being of all people.
Let us therefore continue to work collectively to ensure that every social work graduate emerging from our institutions carries forward the values of justice, solidarity, and human dignity. Through our teaching, research, and community engagement, we must remain steadfast in building the possibility of a more humane and united society.
Prof Mpumelelo E. Ncube
President, ASASWEI
Prof. Mpumelelo E. Ncube
President
Prof. Zibonele F. Zimba
Vice President
Prof. Priscalia Khosa
Secretary
Dr. Fatima Mmusi
Treasurer
Dr. Nevashnee Perumal
International RepresentativeASASWEI is governed by an elected Executive Committee serving a defined term in accordance with the Constitution. The Executive Committee provides strategic leadership, ensures constitutional compliance, and advances the Association’s mandate nationally and internationally.