Gauteng Social Development’s NPO Roadshow Hit Sedibeng
The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) has continued its Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) engagement roadshows, bringing its compliance, governance and service delivery discussions to organisations in the Sedibeng region.
The latest engagement was held on Thursday at JC Kotze Hall in Sebokeng, where representatives of NPOs, Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) gathered to engage with the Department on matters affecting the delivery of social services to communities.
The roadshows form part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its relationship with the NPO sector while promoting compliance with the provisions of the Non-Profit Organisations Act, accountability, good governance and effective management of state-funded programmes.
The engagements are aimed at ensuring that organisations entrusted with public resources have the necessary governance and administrative systems in place to deliver quality services, particularly to vulnerable individuals and communities.
In a message of support delivered by the Director for Stakeholder Relations, Gauteng MEC for Social Development Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko urged NPOs to embrace accountability and good governance as important components of sustainable partnerships with government.
The MEC said the roadshows are a direct expression of her commitment to rebuilding and strengthening the existing relationship between the Department and the NPO sector.”Our relationship should be a developmental relationship, not one that is only centred around funding.”
She said the Department also wants to use the engagements to better understand the challenges faced by organisations on the ground.”We want to hear what is not working, we want to understand where our systems create unnecessary difficulties, we want to hear about delays, communication challenges, compliance difficulties and operational realities.”
Acting Deputy Director-General Tebello Mkhonto said the roadshows form part of the MEC’s NPO engagement initiatives aimed at improving transparency, accountability and service delivery among organisations serving vulnerable communities.”We are excited as the Department to engage with our funded NPOs. These sessions focus on compliance, the funding management process and improving service delivery,” said Mkhonto.
The engagement also provided funded NPOs with an opportunity to raise administrative, financial and operational challenges affecting their work.The inputs received will assist the Department in strengthening its support to the sector, improving regulatory compliance, ensuring proper accountability for state funding and aligning community-based services with applicable legislative and service delivery standards.
Through these engagements, the Department continues its commitment to building a more accountable, transparent and developmental partnership with the NPO sector, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality and reach of social services across Gauteng.
