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I am concerned that mental health NGOs in Gauteng that look after about 3000 patients are struggling to meet new licensing requirements that were imposed after the Esidimeni tragedy.

According to a reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature, there are 62 out of 126 NGOs contracted with the Gauteng Health Department that are still obtaining relevant documents for full licensing.

The department is not providing any money to NGOs to assist them in meeting license requirements which involve considerable expense.

I know of one NGO that has been in the same premises for 80 years but will have to pay about R60 000 to be rezoned from Residential 4 to a mental institution.

NGOs are also required to get occupancy certificates and police clearance for their employees which is also costly.

Some NGOs may be forced to close because of the extra expense, with dire consequences for patients who will be unlikely to find alternative care.

They presently get a subsidy of R2278 per patient and the Social Development Department funds social workers and social auxiliary workers. But this is inadequate to run a proper facility, so donor funds are critical and may not be enough.

The Gauteng Health Department needs to do far more to assist mental health NGOs to meet the new licensing requirements, otherwise thousands of patients could lose vitally needed care.

I hope that the Esidimeni lesson has been learnt so that struggling NGOs are properly assisted before it is too late and they have to close.

Issued by DA