Gauteng mental health NGOs still wait for subsidies

31 May 2018

Some relief appears to be in sight for 130 mental health NGOs who have now been informed by the Gauteng Health Department that they will get financial assistance in a week’s time on 7 June.

It is unclear, however, whether this will be an interim payment for expenses or the full payment of all subsidies owing, which amount to R4 800 per patient per month.

This is a slow response to the crisis faced by NGOs who have not received their subsidies for two months because the Department waited until the last moment to initiate new Service Level Agreements.

Many staff at the NGOs have worked without pay over this period and have struggled to get donors for food and other necessities.

This is why the Democratic Alliance made a food donation yesterday to the Takalani Home for the Intellectually Disabled in Soweto, and also involved other donors to assist.

Takalani looks after 58 severely and profoundly mentally disabled residents, mostly children, who are supposed to receive a subsidy from the Gauteng Health Department. They also care for 52 residents who have also not received subsidies from the Department of Social Development (DSD).

Other NGOs have faced a perilous situation in trying to survive the past two months, so urgent relief is necessary.

The Gauteng Provincial Government should be ashamed by its callous treatment of organizations that look after the most vulnerable people in our society.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 31 May 2018