By BAKANG MOKOTO
The acting North West MEC for Social Development, Gaoage Molapisi said they urge Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) to comply with the legal frameworks and prescripts. Molapisi, who was addressing the delegates today during a two-day NPO Summit, which is underway at Sun City Resort, near Rustenburg said, non-compliance could lead to deregistration and disqualification from government funding.
“Most of the NPOs do not comply with the NPO Act. Others do not honour their Service Level Agreements (SLAs), while some lack sound financial management skills. It has been found that some request loans for themselves, using government funding as a collateral.
“This is unlawful on their part because they commit government funds without authorisation from the department. Held under the theme: “Strengthening Partnership with Civil Society Organisations, the summit focuses on the need to strengthen relationships between government and the NPO sector,” he said.
Molapisi further said the summit is part of capacity building of NPO, resource mobilization, transformation and compliance to legal frameworks and prescripts. He added that, acknowledging the services rendered by the NPOs on behalf of the government, have always been part of the communities.
“This is dating back to the dark days of apartheid. NPOs served as a means of survival for black people. They served as social protection for the disadvantaged and the deprived.
“The scale of social problems in our country is such that neither the government alone can change the lives of people, nor could the NPO sector make an impact without working in partnership with the government,” said Molapisi.
He said: “It is clear that a partnership between the government and the NPO sector should be strengthened. We should work together with NPOs to improve the integrated social services that we render to the poor and vulnerable in our communities.
“The department is directly involved with NPOs through programmes such as HIV/AIDs, Poverty Alleviation & Sustainable Livelihoods, Child Care, People with Disabilities, Substance Abuse, Victim Empowerment & Support, Crime Prevention, Partial Care and Family Preservation.”
The summit which is underway in Sun City, is being attended by 118 delegates from the NPO sector, the Executive Mayors of Bojanala Platinum District and Moses Kotane Local Municipality, representatives from North West University (NWU), the South African Revenue Services, the National Development Agency (NDA), the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and officials from both provincial and national departments of social development.
The Guardian 