UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Law / Department of Social Work
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
SCW2601: Introduction to
Law for Social Work IIA
Assignment 3 — Special Portfolio — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
SCW2601
Module Code:
Introduction to Law for Social Work IIA
Module Name:
Special Portfolio: The Busy Family Case
Portfolio Title:
Assignment 3
Assignment Number:
11 May 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for SCW2601 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | SCW2601 Social Worker Portfolio Report
Contents
1 Part A: Initial Obligations of the Social Worker 3
1.1 A.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 A.2 Legal Basis for Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 A.3 Steps Taken on the Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Part B: Social Worker’s Report to the Family Advocate 5
2.1 B.1 Legal Mandate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 B.2 Scope and Method of Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 B.3 Description of the Parties and Family Environment . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3.1 Ms A Busy (Mother) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3.2 Mr B Busy (Father) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.3 Joe Busy (Son, 16 years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.4 Joelene Busy (Daughter, 10 years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.5 Ms C Busy (Paternal Grandmother) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4 B.4 Assessment: Best Interests of the Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.5 B.5 The Mediation Process and the Children’s Refusal to Participate . 9
2.6 B.6 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.7 B.7 Conclusion of the Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reference List 13
Page 2 of 13
, UNISA | SCW2601 Social Worker Portfolio Report
Part A: Initial Obligations of the Social Worker
A.1 Introduction
On the evening of 20 September 2026, I, Naledi Mokoena (Registration No. SW/GP/2019/12847,
registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions), witnessed a violent
incident at 79 Boom Street, Comsvalley, Gauteng, from my home address at 78 Boom Street.
What I observed triggered both moral and statutory obligations. This section outlines those
obligations and documents my immediate response to the incident.
A.2 Legal Basis for Intervention
South African law creates a clear framework for mandatory reporting when vulnerable persons
are at risk. Three pieces of legislation applied directly to what I witnessed.
First, the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 (hereafter the Children’s Act) establishes a mandatory
duty on social workers and other professionals to report child abuse or neglect.1 Joelene Busy
(10 years old) was present during a violent assault and showed clear indicators of fear, devel-
opmental delays and neglect. Her situation triggered this reporting obligation without ambi-
guity.
Second, the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (as amended by Act 14 of 2021, hereafter the
DVA) requires any adult person who knows, believes, or on reasonable grounds suspects that
an act of domestic violence has been committed against a child, a person with disability, or
an older person, to report that knowledge to a social worker or member of the South African
Police Service as soon as possible.2 The physical assault on Ms Busy, witnessed by the minor
child, and the visible state of Ms C Busy (the elderly grandmother) activated this provision.
Third, the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 places a duty on members of the public, and implic-
itly on social workers, to report situations of abuse or neglect of older persons.3 Ms C Busy
presented as extremely frail, visibly malnourished, isolated in a single-room structure, and dis-
oriented when she emerged. These observations are consistent with indicators of elder neglect
and possible elder abuse as defined under section 30(2) of the Act.4
1
Children’s Act 38 of 2005, s 110(1).
2
Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998, s 2B(1).
3
Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, ss 25–30 (Chapter 5).
4
Ibid, s 30(2).
Page 3 of 13
College of Law / Department of Social Work
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
SCW2601: Introduction to
Law for Social Work IIA
Assignment 3 — Special Portfolio — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
SCW2601
Module Code:
Introduction to Law for Social Work IIA
Module Name:
Special Portfolio: The Busy Family Case
Portfolio Title:
Assignment 3
Assignment Number:
11 May 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for SCW2601 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | SCW2601 Social Worker Portfolio Report
Contents
1 Part A: Initial Obligations of the Social Worker 3
1.1 A.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 A.2 Legal Basis for Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 A.3 Steps Taken on the Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Part B: Social Worker’s Report to the Family Advocate 5
2.1 B.1 Legal Mandate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 B.2 Scope and Method of Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 B.3 Description of the Parties and Family Environment . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3.1 Ms A Busy (Mother) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3.2 Mr B Busy (Father) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.3 Joe Busy (Son, 16 years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.4 Joelene Busy (Daughter, 10 years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3.5 Ms C Busy (Paternal Grandmother) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4 B.4 Assessment: Best Interests of the Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.5 B.5 The Mediation Process and the Children’s Refusal to Participate . 9
2.6 B.6 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.7 B.7 Conclusion of the Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reference List 13
Page 2 of 13
, UNISA | SCW2601 Social Worker Portfolio Report
Part A: Initial Obligations of the Social Worker
A.1 Introduction
On the evening of 20 September 2026, I, Naledi Mokoena (Registration No. SW/GP/2019/12847,
registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions), witnessed a violent
incident at 79 Boom Street, Comsvalley, Gauteng, from my home address at 78 Boom Street.
What I observed triggered both moral and statutory obligations. This section outlines those
obligations and documents my immediate response to the incident.
A.2 Legal Basis for Intervention
South African law creates a clear framework for mandatory reporting when vulnerable persons
are at risk. Three pieces of legislation applied directly to what I witnessed.
First, the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 (hereafter the Children’s Act) establishes a mandatory
duty on social workers and other professionals to report child abuse or neglect.1 Joelene Busy
(10 years old) was present during a violent assault and showed clear indicators of fear, devel-
opmental delays and neglect. Her situation triggered this reporting obligation without ambi-
guity.
Second, the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (as amended by Act 14 of 2021, hereafter the
DVA) requires any adult person who knows, believes, or on reasonable grounds suspects that
an act of domestic violence has been committed against a child, a person with disability, or
an older person, to report that knowledge to a social worker or member of the South African
Police Service as soon as possible.2 The physical assault on Ms Busy, witnessed by the minor
child, and the visible state of Ms C Busy (the elderly grandmother) activated this provision.
Third, the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 places a duty on members of the public, and implic-
itly on social workers, to report situations of abuse or neglect of older persons.3 Ms C Busy
presented as extremely frail, visibly malnourished, isolated in a single-room structure, and dis-
oriented when she emerged. These observations are consistent with indicators of elder neglect
and possible elder abuse as defined under section 30(2) of the Act.4
1
Children’s Act 38 of 2005, s 110(1).
2
Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998, s 2B(1).
3
Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, ss 25–30 (Chapter 5).
4
Ibid, s 30(2).
Page 3 of 13
