Despite promises and paperwork, numerous Gauteng non-profit organisations are still waiting for vital funding from the provincial Department of Social Development, three months into the financial year. Homes for abused children, youth care centres, and disability support organisations say they’re on the verge of collapse, with staff unpaid and children going without essentials.
On a chilly winter morning in Gauteng, staff at a small community shelter unlock the doors with more uncertainty than hope. Food supplies are running low, electricity bills are piling up, and many caregivers haven’t been paid in weeks. Still, they serve meals and provide critical care to the province’s most vulnerable. But one question hangs over every effort: How much longer can they keep going?
As of June, dozens of NGOs across Gauteng have gone three months without funding from the provincial Department of Social Development. This financial freeze threatens essential services that support thousands, including children, the elderly, abuse survivors, and people with disabilities. The Gauteng Care Crisis Committee said a closer look at just 11 affected NGOs revealed a grim reality: services for nearly 2,834 people were at risk.
