Germiston Child Welfare underfunded by 50 per cent, says DA
Child Welfare in dire need of funding.
The DA has written to the South African Human Rights Commission, as well as launching an online petition calling on Parliament to investigate why Germiston Child Welfare is underfunded.
They claim the organisation is underfunded by a staggering 49.88 per cent, or R2 294 289, receiving only half of what is needed.
In a reply to a Parliamentary question, the department admitted that it costs Germiston Child Welfare R4 599 500 per annum to provide statutory services (services that the government must provide by law) and that the government provides only R2 305 211.
“The department enters into a contract with each Child Welfare office in order for them to provide statutory services to children in need; these statutory services are what the government is obliged to provide to children by law,” said Mike Waters MP, DA Lethabong constituency head.
“It is dishonest and unethical of government to close a blind eye to its responsibilities and obligations and expect other organisations to do its work.”
In a recent reply to another Parliamentary question, where Waters asked: “On what basis does her department continue to underfund Nigel Child Welfare?”, the Minister replied: “The financial sustainability and viability of an NGO (non-governmental organisation) remains the primary responsibility of that NGO.”
“This is disingenuous of the Minister, as she is well aware that the fund-raising capacities of NGOs were decimated with the introduction of the Lotto,” Waters said.
“NGOs were promised a consistent and reliable source of funding through a centralised Lotto.
“The reality is that funding from the Lotto is sporadic and unreliable, which places financial uncertainty on NGOs.
“Simply put, the government cut NGO capacity to fund-raise with the introduction of the Lotto, and now they are failing to fund the services they expect NGOs to provide on their behalf.
“I have asked the Human Rights Commission to investigate whether this underfunding is an assault on our children’s human rights.
“In addition, the DA is launching an online petition https://www.petitions24.com/east_rand_child_welfare, which I encourage all residents to sign, as well as all their family and friends.
“The more signatures we obtain, the bigger the impact.”
He added that the petition will be handed in to Parliament, calling on it to investigate the situation.
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