The Gauteng social development department denies reports it's defunding non-profit organisations, jeopardising child services.
Key Highlights :
The Gauteng Department of Social Development has denied claims it is defunding NPOs, which have expressed fears that such a move would put child protection and care in severe jeopardy.
The department released a statement on Friday denying that it is defunding NPOs and that it is in fact increasing funding for these organisations.
The statement reads: "The Gauteng Department of Social Development wishes to state categorically that it is not defunding NPOs and that it is in fact increasing funding for these organisations."
The department says that it has increased the allocation for NPOs by R1.5 billion over the next three years.
The NPOs in question are concerned that the department's intentions are to reduce the number of NPOs in order to centralise more authority in the hands of government.
The department has responded to these concerns by stating that it is committed to working with NPOs to improve the quality of child protection and care in Gauteng.