SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WRAPS UP ISSUING OF FUNDING APPLICATION LETTERS FOR NPOS

By DSD News

• Several non-profit organisations (NPOs) have received confirmation letters approving their funding from the Gauteng Department of Social Development for the next financial year.
• The NPOs will partner with the department in delivering essential social services to vulnerable communities across the province.
• Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko called on NPOs implementing skills development programmes to contribute actively to tackling unemployment by increasing their performance targets and prioritising job opportunities for South Africans.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development has finished distributing confirmation letters to non-profit organisations (NPOs) approving funding for the 2026/27 financial year.

This marks the final stage of a rigorous funding process by the department, led by MEC Faith Mazibuko.

The letters were issued over three days at the Johannesburg City Hall and the department’s regional office in the Johannesburg inner city, to organisations that will partner with the government in delivering essential social services to vulnerable communities across the province.

The letters issued today, 26 March 2026, focused on the Sustainable Livelihoods programme, which in the main includes food interventions, school uniforms, dignity packs and skills development.

Addressing NPO representatives, Mazibuko emphasised the importance of accountability, compliance, and safeguarding beneficiaries – particularly children and persons with disabilities.

She urged all organisations to ensure that their board members and staff are vetted against the national register for sex offenders through the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

“As we conclude this important process, we reaffirm our commitment to working closely with NPOs to protect and uplift our communities.

“This partnership must be guided by compliance with the laws of the country and the highest standards of ethical service delivery,” the MEC said.

Mazibuko also called on NPOs implementing skills development programmes to contribute actively to tackling unemployment by increasing their performance targets and prioritising job opportunities for South Africans, in line with the provincial government’s Nasi Spani Programme.

The head of the department, Phumla Sekhonyane, reiterated that the department will ensure that funded programmes are impactful and aligned with provincial priorities.

She noted that skills development initiatives offered by NPOs will be aligned with the Gauteng provincial government’s training programmes aimed at equipping citizens with practical skills, including maintenance services within government institutions.

The funding process follows a public call for proposals issued in August last year, inviting NPOs to partner with the department in delivering services that improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable.

The process closed in October 2025, with applications assessed based on current departmental priorities.

Funded organisations will implement programmes across key service areas, including victim empowerment, disability services, HIV and AIDS, substance abuse, social crime prevention, children’s services, and sustainable livelihoods.