NGOs on their knees as late payments disrupt services

7 May 2017

The DA has been reliably informed that a number of NGOs have not received their monthly grant funding for the 2017/18 financial year.

Late payments severely impact the services that need to be rendered by NGOs in the province. Finances are key to ensuring better care and upliftment for Gauteng’s most vulnerable, young and old.

This is not the first time that the department has forgotten its mandate, and now NGOs are unable to afford food, keep the lights on and to provide comfort to the provinces’ most vulnerable.

Gauteng Social Development MEC, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, has a responsibility to ensure that internal financial controls are strengthened in order to ensure timeous payments to NGOs in the province.

The DA will not stand back and allow another Esidimeni. NGOs play a vital role in our society, and need to be treated as such.

A solid partnership between the department and NGOs is necessary to ensure that no child, woman, mentally ill, elderly or disabled person is left behind.

The DA will write to MEC Mayathula-Khoza to urge her to investigate non-payments to NGOs and to fast-track payments in areas identified by the department.

Issued by Refiloe Nt’sekhe, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, 7 May 2017