Gauteng’s NPOs call on new MEC to restore trust and funds

As MEC Faith Mazibuko settles in at the Gauteng department of social development, her appointment comes at a critical time in the province.

With non-profit organisations (NPOs) facing significant challenges, they are calling on her to address pressing funding issues in the province.

The strained relationship between the department and NPOs has affected over 800 organisations and left thousands of beneficiaries and jobs in limbo.

Mazibuko has a lot of work ahead

Lisa Vetten, chair of the Gauteng Care Crisis Committee (GCCC), which represents over 80 NPOs in the province, said Mazibuko had a lot of work ahead to repair the broken trust of NPOs.

“We welcome her appointment, but we remain concerned on various levels at what the next few months will look like.

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“But equally concerning is that no-one has been held to account. This has been the most tragic disaster of the last year, marked by poor decisions and administrative disorder. The disastrous process they followed last year and this year cannot be implemented again,” she said.

On 22 May, GCCC obtained a court order instructing the department to meet four demands by June 7. With the department having proved incapable of fully complying, GCCC sought an urgent application on June 13.

‘Serious missteps’ by department

At the swearing-in ceremony of the Gauteng government on Wednesday, premier Panyaza Lesufi said there had been some “serious missteps” by the department recently and these needed to be rectified.

The department said it had paid outstanding grants to most NPOs. In its statement on 26 June, it said 146 NPOs were still awaiting payment.

Epilepsy SA Gauteng director Aileen Langley said despite the new appointment, it remained “concerned and anxious” at the uncertainty of the department’s direction.

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“We have only received payment for three out of four programmes for Q1 on 7 June and all salaries have been paid. They were not paid in April and May.

“Creditors are not yet up to date, but we are getting there slowly. The Q1 tranche should have been paid by the third week of April. The premier said organisations would be paid for two quarters. No-one received for two quarters,” said Langley.

“How can we trust we will be paid for Q2 in time? We are already spending money we don’t have for this quarter.”

The MEC’s appointment comes ahead of the next call for new funding applications in October.

Appointment could bring much-needed turnaround

Moses Masina, head of the Gauteng Mental Health Society, said Mazibuko’s appointment and expertise in the department could bring a much-needed turnaround. He said she had to implement clear and transparent guidelines of the requirements for application and compliance.

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“We need stability in our sector and I hope the new MEC will bring that. NPOs used to receive three-year funding that helped with stability and security. This needs to be implemented again.

“These one-year business plans are not working. We need a long-term relationship with the department so we’re able to plan.

“We need a leader who will bring direction and come up with solutions, not a leader who will implement systems they cannot control and fail,” said Masina.

Vetten said the committee wanted Mazibuko to investigate the auditor-general’s claims regarding maladministration in the allocation of NPO funding.