Latest news with #GDSD
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
No NPO crisis
The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) has rejected false and alarming claims made by some political parties and groups alleging there is a non-profit organisation (NPO) funding crisis. • Also read: NPO appeals process for funding underway According to the MEC for Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, these claims are said to be not only misleading but also deliberately distorting the facts to create unnecessary panic within the sector and among the communities that the department serves. Mazibuko made it clear that while the department experienced funding challenges in the previous financial year, these challenges have been effectively addressed, and the ongoing narrative of a crisis is a gross misrepresentation of facts. She said the department has adjudicated about 2 000 applications from NPOs. 'So far, over 1 200 letters of award have been issued to successful organisations. Notifications to unsuccessful applicants are underway, with a formal appeals process in place. Appeals must be lodged within seven days of receiving a rejection notice and are being handled by a dedicated team led by the Deputy Director-General. 'The department has also signed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with many of the approved NPOs, and over 300 SLAs have already been paid. A brief payment delay occurred due to technical issues at Treasury – a challenge not unique to Gauteng. Several other provinces also only effected NPO payments last week for the same treasury-related reasons.' According to the MEC, payments are now being processed daily, and the department is on track to complete payments to all approved NPOs by the end of the first quarter of the current financial year. 'The department's ongoing engagement with the NPO sector through meetings and media platforms keeps NPOs informed and supported. These efforts have ensured stability, with no protest action directed at the department's offices.' The MEC further issued a clear warning that compliance is not an option. 'NPOs are expected to meet all legislative and regulatory requirements, including municipal by-laws, departmental programme registration, and full compliance with the NPO Act. The Department will not be held responsible for the consequences faced by organisations that fail to comply. The GDSD remains focused and unwavering in its commitment to work with compliant NPOs to deliver critical services to the people of Gauteng. We will not be derailed by misinformation or political grandstanding,' she concluded. If you are affected as an NPO or NGO, please send an email to randfonteinherald@ At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Gauteng NPOs face collapse as social development cuts funding
Despite the increasing need for child protection services, the department has returned significant sums to the provincial treasury. Non-profit organisations (NPOs) providing vital services to vulnerable children across Gauteng are struggling to stay afloat due to funding cuts and delays by the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD). According to the Democratic Alliance's Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Refiloe Nt'sekhe, children in need are bearing the brunt of these failures. Sharp decline in support for NPOs Nt'sekhe said the department has consistently reduced the number of NPOs it funds. 'In the 2021/22 financial year, the department was funding 2 856 NPOs, 2022/23 – 1 837, 2023/24 – 1 464, and about 1 328 in the 2024/25 financial year,' she stated. One of the affected organisations is a foundation in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, which caters for children and operates feeding schemes. With funding either delayed or completely withdrawn, operations have been severely impacted. Despite the increasing need for child protection services, the department has returned significant sums to the provincial treasury. 'In 2023/24, GDSD returned R554 million, and the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year already indicates R102 million returned,' Nt'sekhe said. ALSO READ: South Africans trust business and NGOs, but have beef with the rich 'No sympathy for social needs' As South Africa observes Child Protection Week, Nt'sekhe has called for greater accountability from MEC Faith Mazibuko. 'Delays in the signing of Service Level Agreements and disbursing funds demonstrate her department's incompetence and a lack of sympathy towards the province's social needs and the well-being of its most vulnerable children,' she said. She added that Mazibuko could no longer blame her predecessor and urged her to effect urgent changes within the department. 'This Child Protection Week, we must demand transparency and clear timelines on the disbursement of funds to NPOs.' ALSO READ: My Vote Counts asks for extension and transparency in IEC appointments Constitutional rights under threat Citing Section 27 of the Constitution, Nt'sekhe said the state has a legal obligation to ensure that citizens, especially children, have access to food, healthcare, and social security. 'Without adequate funding for NPOs, the chances of abandoned children surviving and thriving diminish significantly,' she warned. The GDSD had not yet responded to The Citizen at the time of publishing. NOW READ: MES faces explosive claims of BEE violations and financial misconduct
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- The Citizen
Gauteng boy reunited with family in Tanzania after decade-long separation
In a display of government intervention and cross-border collaboration, the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) secured a court order to repatriate and reunite 13-year-old Joel Khumalo Magembe with his family in Tanzania, marking the end of a decade-long separation. According to African Reporter, the Nigel Magistrate's Court in the Eastern Corridor on Thursday granted the department's request for Joel's repatriation and reunification. Magistrate Kovilan Archery delivered the outcome in the presence of the social workers handling his case: Dimakatso Matshomo and Simangele Ntshangase. Joel, who arrived in SA at three years old, had lived in vulnerable conditions after his grandmother, his only guardian at the time, died. After her death, he was in the care of unrelated adults who neither ensured his education nor protected his well-being. Fortunately, he was rescued and placed in the care of the DSD's child protection services. 'We traced his family through people who had known his grandmother. That is why I love my job: Reuniting children with their families,' said Matshomo. Joel will fly to Tanzania today, accompanied by an official from the Tanzanian Embassy. A critical step in the reunification was confirming Joel's biological connection with his father Bryan Bitiningo Magembe. The Tanzanian High Commission facilitated DNA testing by arranging for Joel's father to travel to SA, covering all the associated costs. The results confirmed their relationship, paving the way for Joel's return home. Matshomo and Ntshangase highlighted the collaboration and teamwork that made this outcome possible. 'This wasn't an easy journey. But with the support of all departments involved, we fulfilled our mission. Joel has endured a great deal, but we've supported him every step of the way, and now, he's smiling,' said Ntshangase. When asked how he felt about finally returning to Tanzania, Joel beamed with excitement. 'I'm looking forward to seeing my family. But one day, I'd like to return to SA. I love speaking isiZulu and engaging with people in different languages,' he laughed. 'In Tanzania, we speak Swahili, but I won't forget isiZulu and the other SA languages I've learnt.' This story highlights the DSD's commitment to child protection, cross-border family tracing, and restoring dignity to vulnerable children. A young boy's dream of belonging was finally realised through relentless effort and caring support. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Unmarried fathers demand equal rights amid SA's growing family crisis
Many SA families are in crisis and facing challenges that negatively affect their ability to sustain themselves. One such challenge is the limited access some fathers have to their children because of the cultural practice of paying damages after the birth of a child. It must be noted that the family's well-being is of critical importance to the overall functioning of society. ALSO READ: Health department marks Nurses Day and calls for safer working environments Any breakdown in the family's ability to function and provide care increases the vulnerability of its members. As we observe the International Day of Families on May 15, it is vital to consider how the law protects unmarried fathers. In SA, unmarried fathers have legal rights and responsibilities under the Children's Act of 2005, which allows them to acquire parental rights and responsibilities if they meet certain conditions. According to an article by Scholtz Attorneys in Roodepoort, to acquire parental rights, an unmarried father must register the child's birth jointly with the mother or apply for parental responsibilities and rights through a court order. ALSO READ: Help children beat cancer and show support this Flip Flop Day 'It is crucial for unmarried fathers to establish their commitment to the child's well-being by demonstrating active involvement in their upbringing, including financial and emotional support. 'When the mother disputes the father's involvement, legal assistance becomes essential to navigate the process and protect the father's rights,' said the Gauteng Department of Social Development's (GDSD) media liaison Phetoho Maja. 'The GDSD, through its Family Preservation Programme, help unmarried fathers obtain full responsibilities and rights to their children by providing mediation. The department uses a unique, multi-tiered and managed process that is simple, innovative and integrates seamlessly with the court system,' said Maja. 'The United Nations officially declared the International Day of Families (IDF) in 1994 in response to changing economic and social structures that affect the stability and composition of family units in many parts of the world. 'The purpose of the observance is to raise awareness of the critical roles of parenting and fatherhood programmes in building strong, resilient families and addressing social challenges like substance abuse, violence and intergenerational trauma. ALSO READ: Cansa marks International Volunteer Day 'This milestone, observed annually, reflects the significance the global community places on families as the primary units of society. 'The theme for the 2024 IDF is 'Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Building Resilient Families'. 'The GDSD celebrates this day annually to promote stable, healthy families, the heart of strong societies, as it regards the family as a microcosm of the global community,' said Maya. 'It is also important to understand that building strong families is not only the government's responsibility but also of other stakeholders, such as the private sector, NPOs, and faith-based institutions. 'There is, therefore, a need to prioritise family issues, rights, and concerns through formal and informal efforts by governments in co-operation with the private sector and NPOs,' said Maya. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Touch of Care celebrates 22 years of uplifting vulnerable communities in the south
Touch of Care continues its dedication of service to the people of the south for over two decades. This non-governmental organisation, based at 2 Lindhorst Street, Turffontein, has served the community for 22 years, and its project manager, Julson Mkandla, is determined to continue to lead and be a pioneer of changing the lives of their beneficiaries. Mkandla and Nobuhle Makhunga, the social auxiliary worker, explained the mandate, challenges and successes of this organisation. Mandate 'We are under the wings of the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD), where we deal with orphans and vulnerable children. We work with the Child Protection Unit and intervene when there are problems in a household, like when children are abused, do not go to school or have any other needs. 'Some children don't have parents, and they live with grandparents or caregivers. We do door-to-door visits to those households to make sure they have food, school uniforms, and take care of other special needs. Every month, we buy food and call all the guardians. We feed 100 households every month around this area and distribute 300 food parcels quarterly,' explained Mkandla. He also mentioned that depending on the issue at hand they refer their beneficiaries to relevant authorities to get help, like social workers or SAPS. 'You will find that some people will lock their children in at home to go to work because they can't afford crèches or child minders. We will then intervene and remove the child to a place of safety until the child is 18 years old. 'There's also a programme called 'Behaviour Change' where we go to schools and talk to learners. This area is infested with drugs and learners bunking school. The programme helps the learners to get off the streets. 'Here we also cater for learners who can't further their studies after matriculation through our skills development programme. Skills such as social auxiliary worker, first aid, and child and youth care are offered to equip these learners to get employment in different NGOs. 'GEM MEG is one of the skills development centres based in the CBD that we work with through the funding from the Health and Welfare SETA. 'We use that funding to train beneficiaries, and they receive a stipend every month. When they are finished with training, we take another group and we often employ some while others are taken in by other organisations,' he said. Challenges Mkandla confirmed that there is a lot of work to be done, however, funding is limited. 'The most serious challenge is rent, GDSD only provide 6% towards rent. Covid-19 also made us lose donors. Many companies have closed down after Covid. Although we still have donors such as GDSD, Joburg South BMW, St Paul's Church in Mulbarton and Meals on Wheels (food), we need more donors to fulfil our mandate and also be able to pay for water and electricity,' noted Mkandla. Some of the success stories Makhunga mentioned that although they have their annual school holiday programme, space is a challenge as a great number of learners attend. 'Together with our caregivers, we assist in squatter camps with food parcels, although the numbers keep increasing. The recent fire at Booysens informal settlement, where we donated clothes and food, is one example where we had more people. We also did counselling to find out how they were coping and to establish their state of mind. 'We also place destitute people in safe havens, organise birth certificates, ID and SASSA grants. We offer psycho-social counselling and any other help they might need,' she said. For more information, email Julson Mkandla at touchofcare4@ or contact him on 072 700 6221. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
