Dismantling DA lies on the Gauteng Department of Social Development NPO funding and the implementation of the province’s elevated priorities

9 April 2023

The Gauteng Department of Social Development has noted with great concern the unfortunate lies and glaring politicking the DA has embarked on as it pertains to NPO funding in the province. The DA goes to the extent of claiming that there will be a mass shut down of NPOs and another Life Esidemeni because the Department is alleged to be taking funds away from NPOs.

The Department hereby reiterates that the budget of R2,3 billion allocated to NPOs remains and there is no cut to the budget. Furthermore, residential care services to older persons, Child and Youth Care centres, shelters for women and those with disabilities will remain funded accordingly. Succinctly, as per the legislative mandate, the services to the vulnerable will continue to be provided by both the Department and NPOs.

In October 2022, following the election of Premier Panyaza Lesufi, the Gauteng Provincial Government was reconfigured resulting in certain Departments being grouped together to respond to the identified priorities by the Premier and subsequently the Executive Council.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development was paired with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The reconfigured department was charged with the following elevated priorities; over and above their legislative work as outlined in the annual performance plans.

These entail:

1.   A heightened fight against substance abuse.

2.   Drastically reducing homelessness

3.   War on poverty through improving food security

4.   Welfare to work programmes through accelerated skills development

5.   Promotion of Environmental Sustainability

Since the assignment of these elevated priorities, a series of internal discussions were undertaken on the actualization of these priorities. As per the State of the Province (SOPA) address delivered by the Premier in February 2023, he reiterated and emphasised on the need for us to do more to help the vulnerable and additionally to safe guard the future of this nation by upscaling on skills development, ensuring that the provision of skills forms a key aspect of the substance abuse rehabilitation work, and equally the work with the poor, GBV victims and homeless within the communities. “This is to ensure we get more individuals to be independent, particularly those who have the ability to work but lack opportunities to fully actualise and therefore remain reliant on various government grants such as the R350 grant”, said MEC Mbali Hlophe.

“Our Premier has emphatically made the point that our liberation will be meaningless if the poor and vulnerable are not economically liberated. So, they too may have an independent existence, and their dignity is restored. Accordingly, the work our combined departments will be embarking on, on food security as an example; will entail the provision of agriculture projects within our various homes, shelters, households and community land parcels to ensure a move away from the over reliance on food parcels but to enable individuals to produce their own food.”

The department convened an engagement session with the NPOs on the 5th of April 2023. The MEC unpacked on the vision behind the combined departments, the work that will take place in line with the provincial priorities and importantly to appraise them on the developmental work that ought to be jointly achieved. MEC stressed that the department has traditionally been viewed as a department of social aid and welfare. However, the current socioeconomic landscape characterised by high unemployment, poverty, and a low tax base due to a large number of people being reliant on the State, calls upon the department to raise the development imperative in the Department of Social Development. “So, as we provide aid to our beneficiaries, we also ought to ensure their development. A call the Premier has made, and a vision this Administration seeks to realise through the elevated priorities”, said MEC Mbali Hlophe.

“Sadly, what is a genuine call to ensure true liberation of our people, has been twisted by the DA, in what can only be identified as efforts to derail work for the benefit of their 2024 politicking. We hereby request NPOs not to fall into the trap of lies and exaggerations. As indicated, there is no cut to the R2,3 billion directed to NPOs. The funds are allocated to deserving and compliant NPOs in line with the Department’s objectives as it has always been done. The vulnerable in society will continue to receive services from the Department and NPOs, as we now ensure greater holistic development to them”, said the MEC.

The MEC has further noted the lamentation by NPOs towards the Department for the slow pace of contacting them and finalising on the SLAs. The MEC regards this action as tantamount to sabotaging the work of the department and government, and will ensure consequence management is applied to responsible officials, as these delays further fuel and give credence to the lies spewed by the DA. “The process of SLAs must urgently be concluded so the Department and its social partners can focus on serving and growing our great province”.

Issued by Nkosana Mtolo, Spokesperson for MEC of Gauteng Department of Social Development Motsamai Motlhaolwa, 9 April 2023