History is back repeating itself. We see more academics returning to professional activism. The group that resuscitated NASW Zimbabwe (1988) was almost entirely lecturers from Ted Rodgers School of Social Work at the Chinhoyi Street campus. Led by Joe Mathe (MHSRIP), Nigel Hall now retired in United Kingdom (UK), Rodrick Mpedziswa still working in Botswana, Trish Swift is still serving, Bridget Wilmore, (MHSRIP) then lecturing at the School of Social Work, Stella Makanya, a former Army Social service officer and then lecturer, had just joined the school, Edwin Mapamba worked as an HR Manager at the Post and Tele-Communications (PTC), and the late Prof Edwin Kaseke. They used to meet in the Hall below the offices at the Chinhoyi Street campus, and at times, Father Rogers attended these sessions, too. Nigel Hall took much of the initiative to post adverts on the notice board about these meetings and acted as secretary. I had just completed the Diploma in Social Work and worked at Redd Barna. Joe Mathe had just resigned from Redd Barna to join the school as lecturer, and he invited me to most of the meetings.
Lecturers formed a good number of the first executives of the 1988 NASW group that transformed the profession.
Joe Mathe became the NASW president who spearheaded the establishment of the first NASW secretariat. It is the same team that started negotiations and discussions for the Social Work Bill and its enactment into the Social Work Act 27-21 of 2001. By 1990, the NASW office was functional, headed by coordinator Benjamin Ropafadzo and office manager Patricia Muzondo, all now working in the diaspora (UK). I was drafted in that executive committee as a publicity secretary and then advanced to vice president when Helen Tapfumaneyi took over from Joe Mathe (1990) as president. I am glad that a good number of academics have shown interest in advancing the professional and politics of social work. While we wait for the official announcement, there is news that Dr. Chikwaiwa has won the Manicaland Council post. He contested another academic from Masvingo Cynthia Chinengundu. Dr. Matsika contested, too, all indicating that we are moving into a new era of advancing social work from building mere structures (NASW and CSW) towards advancing more theories of practice.
2024 Council of Social Work elections
In the 2024, Council of Social Work elections, in the Harare region, the contestants were Abel Matsika, Anesu Aggrey Matanga, Francis Maushe and Msekiwa Makwanya. In Matebeleland region there was a sole candidate, Alfred Bhekizuku Ncube while Midlands region candidates were John Magocha and Munyaradzai Nhemachena. Manicaland/Masvingo region had two candidates, Bellarmino Chikwaiwa and Cynthia Chinengundu while Mashonaland region had Wilberforce Kurevakwesu and Charles Simbarashe Gozho. The elections are held in accordance with the Social Workers Act.
By Phillip Bohwasi
Additional blog information by Rugare Mugumbate
*In the picture, the writer of this blog post Mr Phillip Bohwasi is in the far right, wearing a red shirt.