Officials within the Department of Social Development in North West have come under scrutiny over causing unnecessary delays in funding struggling Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), especially old age homes.

The Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development raised concerns to Social Development's North West MEC, Lazarus Mokgosi, about the state of three old age centres which they visited. Amongst issues which were discovered during the oversight visit are Service Level Agreements and Business Plans that were not signed resulting in delays of payments of grants.

Three old age centres were visited. Photo: Facebook

The Chairperson of the Committee, Gavin Edwards, told Mokgosi NPOs have to borrow money from banks just to keep facilities going due to late payments of grants while most facilities house more state elderly patients than private elderly patients who pay way more than the state to keep the NPOs running.

Edwards said the committee was informed by a centre manager of Silwer Jare Old Age Home that they would not be allowed to repay the loan borrowed from the bank through the subsidies which are often paid late by officials in the department.

Three old age centres were visited. Photo: Facebook

R6 million a year is needed to run operations at the centre which houses 52 elderly patients – 22 are self-funded and 30 are subsidised by the state.

“Officials from the Department of Social Development have chosen to be bullies towards NPOs, instead of assisting and willingly aiding places meant to alleviate lives of many social ills and making their work easier, they have added more burdens to the current existing dire situation.” 

Three old age centres were visited. Photo: Facebook

The committee was met with a similar situation at Ipopeng Old Age Home where some officials within the department allegedly demanded the Centre Manager, Esther Seleko, pay back R70 000 of the subsidy into an unknown separate account. The reasons for this were not clear and they were only informed they had to return the money to Treasury, as it was not used in the financial year it was meant for. The centre was met with threats made to them if they refused to pay back all monies requested. 

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