Mpumalanga govt accused of misusing disability budget for funding disabled business owners

Disability advocacy groups and activists are lambasting the Mpumalanga government for failing to spend R100 million dedicated to empowering disabled entrepreneurs.

The Mpumalanga Office of the Premier’s third performance and expenditure report for 2024-2025 showed that the provincial government failed to reach their 7% target to create preferential businesses for persons with disabilities.

According to the report, the money was not spent because the government could not find any registered businesses of persons with disabilities in the central supplier database (CSD).

‘Funds redirected’

Yesterday, disability activist Dolfred Sihlangu said the government budgeted funds for disabled people that are later redirected to other departments after the end of the financial year.

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“We are aware that this is the government’s strategy. They budgeted the money knowing it was not going to reach the right people.

“They claim they did not find businesses owned by disabled people on the CSD. They cannot find them because most disabled people gave up and did not update their registration statuses because they were not funded previously,” said Sihlangu.

“But when they realised that disabled people were not on the database, they did not contact us to assist. They kept the money and did not attempt to locate the people it was meant for because the aim was to use the money to fill the gaps in other departments.

“To start with, why was the money only budgeted for tenders, instead of for assisting any businesses owned by disabled people?

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“They have used disability to raise funds for their projects. In the next few weeks we are starting the new financial year, which means that they are busy planning where to redirect the budget to,” added Sihlangu.

‘Not surprised’

Disabled People South Africa provincial chair Jabulani Kenneth Sithole said he was not surprised the government was failing to fund disabled entrepreneurs because it did not have a clear plan when it comes to disabled persons.

He said government should consider disabled people for tenders and give members of this group land to farm.

Provincial government spokesperson George Mthethwa did not respond to questions sent to him.

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