After announcing huge budget cuts for Gauteng’s social services last year and then doing a quick about-turn to restore the funding to the NGOs that serve vulnerable citizens, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has again announced his plan to slash R233m from the budget for the Gauteng department of social development (GDSD).
This was discovered by nonprofit organisations this week after the tabling of the budget for the province. With less than a month to go before the start of the new financial year, the department has yet to inform the NPO sector where the axe will fall.
Taking this year’s cuts into account, vulnerable people have lost R405m worth of services in two years
— Gauteng Care Crisis Committee
“We reject the cuts and condemn the department for failing to communicate its decisions to NPOs,” said the Gauteng Care Crisis Committee (GCCC), a network of more than 50 organisations in the province.
The crisis committee — speaking as a collective in order not to be victimised — has criticised the budget cut as “a shocking disregard for vulnerable people's right to social care services”.
Slashing R233m from the department’s budget, the committee said, meant many NPO services would have to be reduced or terminated, and that those who will be affected have not yet been told.
“It has been impossible to plan responsible processes to ensure that children, women who have experienced gender-based violence, older people and people with disabilities continue to receive services after April 1. NPO staff live with uncertainty daily, not knowing if they will still be employed when March ends,” the committee said.
The committee has been trying to get information about the future of Gauteng’s NPO services since June last year. Several appeals to various people in authority, including social development head Matilda Gasela and social development MEC Mbali Hlophe, have gone unanswered — the most recent urgent request for information having been sent on Wednesday.
“This latest development mirrors the crisis of 2023/24 when the DSD initially attempted to slash R417.6m from the budget earmarked for social care services, inciting widespread protests from NPOs across the province,” the committee said.
“Though the premier subsequently announced a reversal of the decision on May 2 last year, funding was not restored in full and R172m was still cut from NPO funding. Taking this year’s cuts into account, vulnerable people have lost R405m worth of services in two years.
“Analysis of funding databases submitted by the Gauteng social development department to the portfolio committee for social development substantiates these losses further.
“In 2022/23 1,778 NPO services were funded by the department. In 2023/24 only 1,340 services were funded — a loss of 338 services that also translates into widespread unemployment across the social care sector.
“This destruction of jobs comes at a time when the department lists creating jobs as one of its priorities.”
They have undertaken to fight to uphold people’s rights to services, for an immediate communication of the decisions made on NPO business plans and their right to see “fair decision-making practices and processes” implemented.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.