Gauteng DA wants Lesufi to use SOPA to apologise to NPOs for cutting funding

JOHANNESBURG - With Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi set to deliver his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Thursday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) wants him to apologise to non-profit organisations (NPOs) for cutting their funding.

Hundreds of NPOs are at risk of closing down due to the Department of Social Development’s failure to pay them for their welfare services.

The DA’s Bronwynn Engelbrecht said she had little faith that Lesufi would commit to solving what she described as his administration’s failures.

"The lack of funding for the NPO sector is the biggest crisis that has ever hit Gauteng since 1994, and I don’t think he’s even going to dwell on it. I think he’s just going to pass it by. That’s my view."

While some NPOs have already closed their doors due to the lack of funding, Engelbrecht said Lesufi must take accountability.

"I have a view that he’s so embarrassed about the mess-ups taking place in that department that he’ll speak about everything else where there have been so-called positive changes, like the many jobs they claim to have created, even though they have no money for it and people were not getting paid. So, I think he’s going to spin on all those things."