MEC MAZIBUKO CALLS ON NPOS TO EXPAND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS GAUTENG

By Sipho Ncube

• MEC Faith Mazibuko has urged NPOs to increase beneficiary intake for skills development programmes in the new financial year.
• The Gauteng Department of Social Development has been allocated R5.6 billion for 2026/27 to strengthen social programmes and partnerships.
• The Integrated Service Delivery Blitz connected residents to essential services and social relief support.

Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, has called on Non-Profit Organisations to expand their reach by increasing the number of beneficiaries enrolled in skills development programmes in the upcoming financial year.

Mazibuko made the call while addressing NPO representatives at the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Integrated Service Delivery Blitz held at Nellmapius Green House in Mamelodi, Tshwane.

She emphasised that scaling up skills development initiatives is critical to tackling poverty and unemployment, particularly in vulnerable communities.
“In the new financial year, please ensure that as NPOs funded for skills development, you increase the number of your beneficiaries so that we can reach more of our people,” she said.

To support these efforts, the Gauteng Department of Social Development has been allocated approximately R5.6 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year, contributing to a total of R17.2 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. The funding is expected to strengthen partnerships and expand targeted social programmes across the province.

Presenting the 2026/27 Provincial Budget at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, MEC Lebogang Maile highlighted key priority areas that will benefit from the allocation. These include skills development initiatives for vulnerable groups, the provincial homelessness strategy, food security programmes, Bana Pele initiatives, Child and Youth Care Centres, Community Prevention Services, substance use disorder treatment, aftercare services, and upgrades to state-owned facilities.

The Integrated Service Delivery Blitz brought together multiple government departments, entities and funded NPOs to provide coordinated services directly to residents. Participating departments included Employment and Labour, Health, Social Development, the South African Police Service and the South African Social Security Agency.

NPOs such as the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Thandanani Drop-in Centre, Northern Gauteng Mental Health and Build Africa also played a key role in the outreach.

During the event, eligible residents were able to register for the ongoing Social Relief Programme, which distributes food parcels to vulnerable households across Gauteng.

Through initiatives like the service delivery blitz, government continues to strengthen collaboration with civil society to expand access to opportunities, reduce poverty and improve the lives of communities across the province.