The Gauteng department of health has paid R34-million in subsidy payments to 132 non-governmental organisations housing mental patients in the province.
This announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon at a meeting which was attended by over 100 NGO managers and administrators.
“The payment which was transferred on Tuesday night will reflect on NGOs accounts on Friday‚ 30 June 2017. At an open and constructive engagement with NGOs’ managers and administrators at the Department’s head office‚ MEC Gwen Ramokgopa apologised for the delay in payment of subsidies‚ while pleading with NGOs to comply with new licensing processes which are in line with recommendations of the Health Ombud‚” the department said in a statement.
Psychiatric home takes Gauteng health to court
Of the 132 NGOs which house various patients with severe‚ intellectual disabilities and offer day care services‚ 60 have fully complied with the new rigorous and stringent licence dispensation and have been issued with formal licences.
The rest of the NGOs who still have outstanding licensing requirements will be issued with provisional licences in the interim until all the documentation has been submitted.
“We value the relationship we have with NGOs. We don’t intend to break this relationship. Instead we want to renew and strengthened it for the benefit of the patients and the most vulnerable in our society. If we are committed to work together we can come with good ideas‚” added the MEC.
The department received criticism from opposition parties after it did not pay its subsidies to NGOs‚ a move which was seen as threatening the lives of the patients.
The new licensing dispensation is more comprehensive and wide ranging‚ requires a copy of the constitution of the NPO‚ zoning or rezoning certificate‚ occupancy certificate‚ certificate of acceptability of food handling‚ health certificate‚ copy of board members‚ copy of business plan with costing for proposed activities‚ proof of property ownership or lease agreement‚ SAPS clearance certificate and tax clearance certificate amongst others.
In the meeting both parties agreed that there must be a workshop for the guidelines for licensing of residential and day care facilities for people with mental and intellectual disabilities. Another similar workshop will take place on the July 5 in Johannesburg.
Gauteng Health pays subsidies to NGOs
The Gauteng department of health has paid R34-million in subsidy payments to 132 non-governmental organisations housing mental patients in the province.
This announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon at a meeting which was attended by over 100 NGO managers and administrators.
“The payment which was transferred on Tuesday night will reflect on NGOs accounts on Friday‚ 30 June 2017. At an open and constructive engagement with NGOs’ managers and administrators at the Department’s head office‚ MEC Gwen Ramokgopa apologised for the delay in payment of subsidies‚ while pleading with NGOs to comply with new licensing processes which are in line with recommendations of the Health Ombud‚” the department said in a statement.
Psychiatric home takes Gauteng health to court
Of the 132 NGOs which house various patients with severe‚ intellectual disabilities and offer day care services‚ 60 have fully complied with the new rigorous and stringent licence dispensation and have been issued with formal licences.
The rest of the NGOs who still have outstanding licensing requirements will be issued with provisional licences in the interim until all the documentation has been submitted.
“We value the relationship we have with NGOs. We don’t intend to break this relationship. Instead we want to renew and strengthened it for the benefit of the patients and the most vulnerable in our society. If we are committed to work together we can come with good ideas‚” added the MEC.
The department received criticism from opposition parties after it did not pay its subsidies to NGOs‚ a move which was seen as threatening the lives of the patients.
The new licensing dispensation is more comprehensive and wide ranging‚ requires a copy of the constitution of the NPO‚ zoning or rezoning certificate‚ occupancy certificate‚ certificate of acceptability of food handling‚ health certificate‚ copy of board members‚ copy of business plan with costing for proposed activities‚ proof of property ownership or lease agreement‚ SAPS clearance certificate and tax clearance certificate amongst others.
In the meeting both parties agreed that there must be a workshop for the guidelines for licensing of residential and day care facilities for people with mental and intellectual disabilities. Another similar workshop will take place on the July 5 in Johannesburg.
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