The way in which Gautengs social development department has treated nonprofits funding this year reminds, to some extent, of the provincial health departments conduct in the Life Esidimeni saga.
Public administration determines who gets which state resources when, and why. When it comes to care for people who need a social safety net, its a power to be reckoned with.
Earlier this year, serious missteps in calculating social welfare organisations subsidies and the subsequent delays in payouts caused the sector much pain and misery.
Poor decisions can become a source of harm to people living in precarious circumstances, writes Lisa Vetten, for which decision-makers should be held accountable.
In todays newsletter content editor, Linda Pretorius, discusses what happens when the Gauteng social development department pays NGOs late. Sign up now .
Gautengs Life Esidimeni tragedy in which over 140 state mental health patients died and the judgment in an inquest handed down on 10 July found the negligence of high-ranking provincial health department officials was to blame in at least 9 cases makes it clear why its important that decision-makers are held responsible for harm stemming from poor administration decisions.
And, sadly, the way in which Gautengs social development department has treated nonprofits this year which essentially do the governments job for them reminds to some extent of the provinces health departments conduct in the Life Esidimeni saga.
Public administration determines who gets which state resources when, and why. When it comes to care for people who need a social safety net, like older persons, victims of gender-based violence (GBV) or people who struggle with substance abuse, its a power to be reckoned with.
In the Life Esidimeni case, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) became instruments of destruction because of administrators rash decisions .
