Negotiating Interdisciplinary Imperatives Towards a Culturally Competent Social Work Praxis within the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality

Background and Purpose: Social work praxis in Africa faces challenges related to cultural incompetence in intervention methods due to predominant westernized epistemologies. Despite calls for decolonization since the 1970s, methods remain entrenched in western approaches inadequately addressing Africa's unique social challenges. This study aimed to negotiate interdisciplinary imperatives towards a culturally competent social work praxis within the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in South Africa. The research addressed four objectives: examining effectiveness of current social work praxis in addressing indigenous social ills; explicating importance of culture in implementing interventions; establishing effectiveness of current curriculum in addressing cultural competence; and investigating structures encouraging culturally competent praxis.

Methods: The study employed a qualitative case study design focused on the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality. Purposive sampling selected participants including social workers from the Department of Social Development, social work lecturers from the University of Fort Hare, local chiefs knowledgeable about community culture, and department heads. Data collection utilized semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified patterns within the data. The study was underpinned by an ecological framework supported by postmodernism theory, which challenges universal truths, and cultural humility theory, which emphasizes honoring unique cultural experiences.

Results: Findings revealed tensions between western approaches and indigenous contexts. Social workers expressed frustrations with current methods, with one practitioner noting: "We're using tools designed for completely different social realities." Cultural factors emerged as essential, with a local chief emphasizing that "healing cannot happen outside our ancestral wisdom and community connections." Educators acknowledged curriculum limitations: "We teach primarily European and American models while paying lip service to indigenous knowledge systems." Practitioners described creating unofficial adaptations to accommodate cultural practices: "I modify interventions to include family elders because without their blessing, clients won't engage." Department heads recognized structural barriers: "Our policies claim cultural sensitivity but our metrics reward western case management approaches." Positive findings emerged around interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly with traditional healers. Throughout the narratives, participants identified a power imbalance where indigenous knowledge was positioned as supplementary rather than foundational.

Conclusions and Implications: This study contributes insights for developing culturally competent social work praxis within South Africa's diverse context. Findings inform social work education by highlighting necessary curriculum reforms. For practice, the research supports integration of traditional healing methods within formal interventions. Policy implications include recommendations for structural changes within social service departments to support culturally appropriate service delivery. The study responds to calls for more respectful ethical frameworks rooted in cultural competence, aiming to enhance social work's effectiveness while challenging continued colonial influences in professional practice.

Keywords: Cultural competence, social work praxis, indigenous knowledge, interdisciplinary imperatives, decolonization