ETHEKWINI Municipality has donated close to R3 million grant-in-aid funding to 107 beneficiaries, providing much needed assistance to several community-based Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs).
The NPOs from various municipal wards received cheques worth R28 000 each, handed over by Mayor Zandile Gumede and the Chairperson of the Community Services Committee, Councillor Zama Sokhabase.
Addressing beneficiaries, Gumede said the city was committed to supporting NPOs because of the good work they do in their respective communities.
“We recognise that NPOs are important pillars of our communities and we will continue to provide support to these organisations so they can help deal with various issues at ward level,” she said.
Gumede said the Municipality supported different sectors, including youth organisations, senior citizens, community projects, soup kitchens, and early childhood development.
Issuing a stern warning to corrupt organisations, Gumede said: “Those who are found misusing taxpayers’ money will face the full might of the law. You must use these funds for the benefit of the community you are serving.”
Senior Manager of Policy and Administration, Xoliswa Mashiane said the number of organisations to benefit from the grant depended on the number of applications the municipality received and the number of organisations that qualified. “Organisations were screened and verified to ensure that they are not phantom organisations,” he said.
Mashiane said her office expected reports from all the organisations that benefited on the day, outlining the work they had undertaken as per the memorandum of agreement.
“We will also visit your organisations without notifying you. We want to see if you are doing what you committed to doing,” she said.
