Picture: The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie/Supplied
By BAKANG MOKOTO
18 September 2024- The North West MEC for Social Development, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie, decried non-compliance of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) with legislation as a major cause of her department’s inability to achieve a clean audit. Dantjie was addressing the representatives of various NPOs in Ngaka Modiri Molema District as part of a meet and greet programme in her first 100 days in the office.
She further said her department account to oversight bodies on how they spend the budget that is allocated to them. Dantjie added that a large percentage of the departmental budget goes to the NPOs to enable them to work in partnership with the department in delivering services to the people.
“If we fund NPOs that are not fully compliant with legislation, we will surely attract a finding from the Auditor General. NPOs must refrain from using unspent monies without the approval of the department.
“To be in the good books of the AG, we will not release your next trench, if you cannot appropriately account for your previous one. Our department is affected by a shrinking fiscus and this calls for funded NPOs to explore other avenues, which include fund-raising, sponsorship and any other assistance from government departments and its entities,” she said.
Dantjie said NPOs must understand when there is a budget cut, they should maximise what they have received. She said the department has ensured that each NPO has a bookkeeper, therefore failure to comply will not be tolerated, adding that the NPOs must maintain the number that they started with and inform the department of any changes in their staff complement.
“On NPOs that work with older persons, such NPOs must familiarise themselves with the Older Persons Act. The key highlights of the Act must also be displayed at the NPOs for the community to know them.
“Those who receive older persons’ grants, please ensure that the elderly meet their obligations with their churches and burial societies. We would also like to caution the NPOs against crying foul when their trench has not been paid, while they had received the 90% of the older persons grant of the elderly under their care,” said Dantjie.
She said as part of the activities of the day, they conducted a visit to Lonely Park – Signal Hill disabled project.
The Guardian 