A group of non-profit organisations (NPOs) have launched an online petition against the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development (DSD) because it is allegedly not paying subsidies.

According to the KwaZulu-Natal directors' network, a group of NPO bosses behind the petition, the provincial DSD has breached service level agreements, and its actions are hurting thousands of vulnerable children, people living with disabilities and the elderly.

Julie Todd, one of the petition organisers, said the department has been delaying payments due to them since 2022, and persistent complaints were not being addressed.

She said: "This month [October] alone, at least 47 welfare organisations, 1 714 staff members and 422 826 children, older persons and people with disabilities, were directly impacted by late payment of subsidies."

She said their petition aimed to expose their "difficulties with the KZN DSD and to put pressure on them to meet their obligations".

"Government is obliged to care and protect the vulnerable in communities, and by failing to honour their obligations toward the NPO sector, they are being negligent," she said.

Althea Govender, who runs the Pietermaritzburg-based St Monica's Child and Youth Care Centre, said the organisation was defaulting on payments to creditors as a result of delayed payments from the KwaZulu-Natal DSD.

"We are supposed to receive R350 000 per month from the KZN DSD, but we have not received a cent from them since August," she said.

Govender said they had means to ensure that the 84 children living at the centre were cared for despite delayed payments from the DSD, but she was stressed about paying salaries and the money owed to creditors as the month drew closer to an end.

"There are 33 staff members here, and we have had to shift funds around to pay them up to this point, but this is unsustainable," she explained.

Govender said some of the children at the centre had requested an opportunity to raise funds for the centre.

"We have children as young as 3 years of age. Many of them are orphans, some were abandoned at an early age while others come from abusive homes. The older ones can see what is happening. It's unfortunate that this is stressing them out," she said.

Govender also alleged the DSD communicated poorly, claiming it didn't respond to her calls and emails.

Todd said in the petition the DSD had informed them about a new payment system, but claimed that it was failing too.

"Many of our NPOs are still awaiting payments for August and September," she said.

DSD response

Mhlabunzima Memela, KwaZulu-Natal DSD spokesperson, said they were funding 1 200 NPOs monthly and had experienced "cash-flow management challenges".

Memela said the DSD introduced a new payment system to address these challenges, paying three months' worth of subsidies every quarter.

He said the new payment system was communicated to the NPOs, and the money disbursed totalled R190.8 million quarterly.

According to Memela, most NPOs had received payments for September, October and November.

He said all NPOs would receive money due to them by the end of October and advised those with grievances to reach out to them.

"The department has a revolving door policy, which allows the NPOs to engage us whenever they encounter any challenges," he said.

Memela denied that they were negligent.

"Our commitment remains steadfast, and the tranche payment system has been introduced to ensure seamless support to NPOs and the vulnerable populations they serve," he said.

He said they advised the NPOs to use the funds "judiciously", as the next payment would be made for December, as well as for January and February 2024.