Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Hendriëtte van Huyssteen and in Setswana by Sam Mape
The DA in the North West submitted questions to the MEC of Social Development, Basetsana Susanna Dantjie, for oral reply in the upcoming North West Provincial Legislature sitting on 12 November 2024. Additionally, the DA will request a written report on all Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) approved for funding this financial year, detailing those whose Service Level Agreements (SLA) remain unsigned.
During a sitting of the Portfolio Committee for Social Development on 22 August 2024, it was revealed that 33 NPOs had been approved for funding and had submitted their business plans, yet the Department has not concluded the necessary SLAs. It was resolved that the MEC for Social Development, Dantjie, must submit a comprehensive report detailing the status of these 33 NPOs and the reasons behind the non-signature of SLAs. To date, no such report has been received, raising serious concerns about the Department’s commitment to accountability.
This delay resulted in NPOs being forced to dip into their own reserve funds to continue delivering essential services to the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly children, the elderly, and those affected by poverty and social injustices.
Where reserve funds have not been available, many NPOs have been left to rely on loans and community donations; however, it is still not enough to stay afloat. Municipalities are now threatening to turn off their electricity due to unpaid bills. Employees have not received their salaries for months, placing an enormous strain on their ability to provide for their families.
The Democratic Alliance believes in building a capable state where public resources are efficiently managed, ensuring that no child goes hungry, and no one is left exposed to abuse because of bureaucratic failures. We are committed to holding the Department of Social Development accountable for its administrative delays, which directly harm the most vulnerable members of our society. It is the DA’s priority to stop these failures from perpetuating cycles of poverty and suffering.