The Department has relationships with civil society and community-based organization or non-profit organisations (“NPOs”) to ensure that their mandate is fulfilled, as they do not have the capacity to achieve its Constitutional mandate of improving people’s lives and providing services needed by various vulnerable groups, such us children, older persons, persons with disabilities persons with mental health challenges.

The Commission’s Eastern Cape Provincial Office has observed during its monitoring activities and through complaints received, that the Easter Cape Department continuously delays its disbursements of subsidies to these organisations. This kind of conduct has serious and severe consequences on the life and well-being of the beneficiaries including elderly, people with disabilities and children, who are vulnerable. Some organisations have had to close, as they could not operate without timeous provisions of subsidies.

In view thereof, the Commission will be engaging with the Department to ventilate possible areas of cooperation and assistance in view of the above. The areas to ventilate will include, but will not be limited to, ascertaining reasons for the systematic challenges pertaining to the delay of disbursement of subsidies. Interventions undertaken and plans in place to ensure timeous disbursement of subsidies to NPOs for the financial year 2023/2024 and future years. Collaboration strategies to ensure human rights of vulnerable groups are protected.  
Further, the engagement will also include popularizing the Commission’s SHiNE initiative (Social Harmony National Effort) to the Department. The aim of the initiative is to commit every South African to promote respect and harmony throughout their daily lives.

The stakeholder engagement is scheduled to take place as follows:

Date:   28th of February 2023
Time:   10:00 – 11:30
Venue: SAHRC Boardroom, East London

Ends

For further information, contact the SAHRC Provincial Manager, Dr Eileen Carter @ 043 722 7828/072 638 9016 or email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Advocacy and Research Officer, Zukiswa N Mqakanya @ 043 722 7828 or email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.