Noodforum in need
More than 120 families in need will sit empty-handed on the streets of Mokopane this festive season when the Mokopane Noodforum closes its doors at the end of November.
MOKOPANE – The organisation’s kitty is empty and all attempts to get the MEC of the Department of Social Development, Joyce Mashamba, to give attention to the organisation’s lack of funds, leads to nowhere.
A worried Eulogia de Wet, Social Worker of the organisation and Pieter Prozesky, a management member, sits with great worry and told Bosveld that the organisation is in very deep waters.
“It is now make or break. Noodforum cannot keep its doors open any longer due to insufficient funds. If we don’t get help very soon, we are left with no other choice than to close our doors at the end of this month. We are doing everything we possibly can to save this sinking ship.”
De Wet and Prozesky told Bosveld that their repetitive requests to the MEC’s office about the organisation’s government subsidy fails time after time.
“We have submitted our crisis to the MEC back in June, but she has not yet looked at it. The organisation’s yearly subsidy of more than R650 000 for four terms had been suspended in February when the organisation sent in its financial statements after the deadline.
“The organisation appealed this action in June, but to date we did not receive any acknowledgement of receipt of this application.
“There is simply no reaction from the MEC’s office.
“Our budget for 2017 is already approved. The department simply doesn’t care about the community services we deliver.”
De Wet says that the organisation has been to hell and back the past 11 months, and survived on fundraisers.
“The closure of the organisation will leave a huge social gap in our town and social services will come to an end.
“Currently we support more than 120 families by handing out monthly food parcels. We also work with the town’s youth who bumped heads with the law. We deliver social services on all fronts we possibly can.”
The organisation pleads for companies and the community to open their wallets, especially with the festive season around the corner.
Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, Adele van der Linde, says a committee was appointed to look into all of the appeal cases.
She further said there are many organisations like the Noodforum that are dependent on the department and unfortunately there is not always money. She promised to follow-up on the matter.
Contact De Wet at (015) 491 2506 or visit the Mokopane Noodforum offices in Thabo Mbeki Drive to assist them.
