DA outraged at delays in payment of NGOs subsidies

The DA has slammed Gauteng social development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe over the delay in the payment of NGO subsidies.

The party said on Tuesday it had written to Masupyoe’s office requesting the payment process to be speeded up.

DA Gauteng shadow MEC for social development Refiloe Nt’sekhe said she had received numerous phone calls and messages from NGOs across the province complaining they have not received their first tranche of subsidy payments from the department.

“The NGOs claim they were promised the subsidy would be paid 15 days after signing their service level agreements (SLA) but to date they have not yet received anything,” Nt’sekhe said.

“They have also written to the department officials who promised them payments would be expedited. However, to date the payments have not yet been made.”

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Nt’sekhe slammed the provincial government for poor planning.

“The SLAs should have been signed a long time ago as payments can only be done two weeks after signing. Delays in processing subsidy payments has a negative impact on NGOs in terms of rendering much needed social welfare services to our people,” Nt’sekhe said.

Furthermore, NGOs are dependent on this subsidy to pay salaries of their employees.

The DA has urged Masupyoe to urgently investigate the cause of the delays and to provide exact dates when these payments will be made.