Child welfare underfunded by 60%

It is far less of what is actually needed to provide services to vulnerable children.

According to a statement received from Mike Waters, DA shadow minister for social development, it states “the total cost for the nine child welfare offices for providing statutory services, those services which the government is obliged to provide by law, is R36 732 700-million for the 2014/2015 financial year”.

However, Waters says government has only provided R14 477 195 of what is actually needed to provide services.

Sanet van Moerkerken, project manager for the society, says their budget is R2 000 000-m.

Although the table Waters supplied states Springs needed R4 500 108-m they only received R1 034 784-m.

Sanet says they receive money from government every third month, but after the second month they have usually already run out of money and they have to either borrow money from somewhere or try to rely on other sources of income.

They have received money from The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) since 2008.

This money has aided the society in covering the day-to-day expenses, but they cannot rely on the NLDTF money any more as their application was denied in 2012.

They have, in the meantime appealed against the reasons given by the NLDTF for not approving the amount required.

“We do not agree to their reasons for not approving it and have appealed in writing about three months ago, but they have not responded yet,” she says.

Sanet says the biggest day-to-day expenses are the telephones and maintenance of the office vehicles and although they receive donations from the public from time to time, it is mainly in kind and not in terms of funding.

One of the vehicles is currently not operative as it is in serious need of new tyres and another vehicle’s tyres will soon need replacement.

The social workers try and save money where they can by travelling together in one vehicle if possible, depending on the area they need to go to.

“Some months we travel more than others, depending on panels and child assessments,” says Sanet.

It is believed the last salary increase the staff received was two years ago and it was allegedly only 4%.

Waters feels government has an obligation under the constitution and the children’s act to ensure that all children are taken care of.

“The result of this is that child welfare offices are unable to provide the necessary services,” he says.

He will ask the South African human rights commission to investigate whether the gross underfunding to child welfare societies are indeed undermining children’s rights.

But in the meantime life goes on at the society and they are compelled to generate additional income to meet the monthly shortfall.