Botched adjudication process plunges Gauteng NPOs into uncertainty
16 May 2024
Non-profit organisations (NPOs) in Gauteng are in turmoil due to a failed adjudication process that has led to funding challenges, forcing many of these organisations to close their doors, retrench staff, or scale back operations.
This crisis stems from the Gauteng Department of Social Development's (DSD) mishandling of its adjudication process and its failure to pay eligible NPOs their subsidies, which is deeply disturbing since it leaves Gauteng's most vulnerable residents without the support system they need for social welfare and social services.
The DA has long demanded that DSD MEC Mbali Hlophe guarantee that the adjudication process is carried out transparently and that beneficiaries be paid without any needless delays. However, our calls have been disregarded, leaving NPO beneficiaries in limbo.
The fact that Premier Panyaza Lesufi has only now committed to start paying the NPOs as of Monday, 13 May 2024, confirms that the Gauteng Provincial does not care about the vulnerable people in our province. The intervention of the Premier to correct the botched funding process also demonstrates that MEC Hlophe, whose leadership has been overshadowed by scandals, is incompetent to lead this department.