FREE STATE MEC CONDUCTS OVERSIGHT VISIT TO COMMUNITY NUTRITION CENTRE IN VIRGINIA

By: Thembile Nqabeni

• The Free State MEC for Social Development, Mathabo Leeto, has visited a community nutrition centre in the Matjhabeng Municipality that plays an important role in tackling food insecurity in the area.
• Although the non-profit organisation had lost its departmental funding in 2022, it had continued its crucial work.
• The MEC assured the NPO that the department would support the organisation in rectifying any compliance issues and help strengthen its capacity through training and skills development.

The Free State MEC for Social Development, Mathabo Hlalele, conducted an oversight visit to the Community Nutrition Centre in Ward 7, Virginia, under the Matjhabeng Municipality.

The purpose of the visit was to assess service delivery operations and engage directly with the leadership of the non-profit organisation (NPO) to determine the circumstances that led to the discontinuation of departmental funding.

The NPO was last funded in the 2021/22 financial year.

However, despite the withdrawal of funding, the organisation continued to operate through fundraising efforts and donations to provide meals to community members living in poverty.

During the oversight engagement, it was established that the NPO had deviated from the Service Level Agreement entered into with the Department of Social Development, which resulted in the suspension of funding in line with compliance requirements and financial accountability processes.

MEC Hlalele noted the critical role the NPO plays in addressing food insecurity in the area and indicated that the department will conduct a follow-up assessment to determine the corrective measures required for compliance restoration.

She further committed that the department will explore mechanisms to support the organisation through capacity building and compliance training, to enable it to meet the required standards for possible reinstatement of funding, where appropriate.

The MEC further emphasised that the department will strengthen oversight and monitoring of all funded NPOs to ensure adherence to service level agreements and proper management of public funds.

“Sound oversight and accountability are essential to ensure that public resources are used effectively and that services reach intended beneficiaries,” said MEC Hlalele.

The Department of Social Development remains committed to ensuring responsible governance, improved monitoring of service providers, and sustained support for NPOs.