Gauteng social development department 'has started paying NPOs' | Breaking News & Latest South Africa Updates

Gauteng social development department 'has started paying NPOs' — The application process for funding of nonprofit organisations (NPOs) for the 2025/2026 financial year from the Gauteng department of social developm...

The application process for funding of nonprofit organisations (NPOs) for the 2025/2026 financial year from the Gauteng department of social development was stringent.

This is according to Oupa Shumeni, national children's sector chairperson at the SA National Aids Council, who said the application process was tedious.

Shumeni made these comments after the department in the province warned NPOs that failed to submit their applications for renewal of funding or that submitted their applications after the closing date to refrain from going to the media to claim that the department had failed them.

“It was tedious and complicated; remember we are used to applying through regions but this one was stringent because it was centralised and everyone was applying at the provincial level,” said Shumeni.

The department said on Tuesday that it had started paying the NPOs that have signed their service level agreements (SLAs)for funding in 2025/26.It said this followed anintensive process comprising applications, panelling, budget approval,issuance of successful letters and signing of SLAs across all corridors inthe province.

“The run for the first tranche of payments took place [on Tuesday] andthe department will continue to process these payments until allsuccessful NPOs have received their funds,” said Gauteng social development spokesperson Teddy Gomba.

“Though the delayedpayments are regrettable, the department would like to assure all NPOsthat have received their award letters that they will receive payments assoon as they sign the SLAs.”

He said the budget for NPO funding for thequarter was ready for release to NPOs,and the department urged all NPOs that had not signed their SLAsto come forward for signing.

The process of signing SLAs began onApril 14, and the number of board members attending to sign hadbeen slow, which was a cause for concern for the department.

“Boardmembers are urged to sign urgently.”

The award letters were also issued toalleviate panic in the sector.The department is in daily communication with the NPOsthrough the corridors, working to put them at ease, he said.

Shumeni confirmed that NPOs in Sedibeng, Ekurhuleni, City of Johannesburg and West Rand received the award letters and it was only Tshwane which was left out in the HIV/Aids services, but that problem has since been resolved.

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