Note to Editors: Attached please find a soundbite in English by DA MPL, Refiloe Nt’sekhe here.
The lack of transparency by Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government regarding nonprofit organisations (NPOs) adjudication processes is delaying funding and putting the lives of the most vulnerable residents of Gauteng at risk.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Gauteng Department of Social Development to provide clear and consistent communication to all NPOs regarding the status of their funding applications.
NPOs remain uncertain about the outcomes of their applications, creating confusion and anxiety within the sector due to a lack of communication from the department.
The DA Gauteng has received numerous complaints from NPOs across the province regarding the department’s lack of transparency, consistency, and communication throughout the adjudication and contracting process.
NPOs have not yet signed the Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and they are concerned that they will not receive funding on time.
Clearly, this department has not learned from previous years on how delays in processing NPO funding have affected lives, with many NPOs shutting down and the vulnerable being left to fend for themselves.
The DA will engage with the HOD and MEC to ascertain the causes of the delays in communicating the outcomes of the adjudication process and push to ensure that the delays are rectified to avoid delays in paying NPOs subsidies.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would ensure that the NPO funding process is concluded before the start of the new financial year. We will ensure transparency and constant communication with the applicant organisation on the outcomes.
NPOs are dependent on government funding, and many beneficiaries will suffer without access to shelters, food, and social welfare services. Delays in paying subsidies disrupt services to the most vulnerable residents of this province