Statement by Minister Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Mec for Social Development
The Provincial Government of the Western Cape has completed a comprehensive audit of approximately 1800 NGOs and NPOs funded by the Department of Social Development to determine which service providers are providing the best quality of service to the people of the Western Cape.
During this time, a call for proposals from service providers in each of the Department of Social Development's 8 programmes has also been advertised and communicated to all existing Department service providers. This process has resulted in several hundred applications from NGOs and NPOs. In the week ahead these applications will be screened by an independent panel of experts, and recommendations will be made for funding recipients for the new financial year. There will be fewer NPOs and NGOs funded by the department in the coming financial year, and the focus will instead be on concentrating funding on those service providers which have strong track records (as reflected in the monitoring and evaluation reports compiled by the Department's Monitoring and Evaluation reports) and whose services most closely correspond to the Constitutional mandates and strategic objectives of the Department. This process was deemed necessary given that:
The new, more transparent and rigorous funding system for NPOs and NGOs introduced by this government is a response to all of these factors.
I would like to emphasise that we recognise the valuable contribution which our best NPO and NGO service providers are making in our communities. Given that our current economic circumstances force us to do more with less, and given that we are committed to service excellence, this government intends to empower the best NPO and NGO bodies to further improve and expand their services to the people of this province, while also ensuring that the public is getting value for money.
Mr Danny Abrahams
Cell: 073 425 2270
Tel: 021 483 5445