The Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) recommended that frequent oversight visits should be made to Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Thamarin Mudely, senior manager of the AGSA, briefed the Social Development Portfolio Committee on Tuesday, reporting back on five NPOs that were audited. He said these NPOs received subsidies from the Department of Social Development.

The auditors found: 

• Hygiene and sanitation concerns, including mould, unpleasant odours, and unsanitary toilet facilities.
• Infrastructure issues such as damaged ceilings, broken toilet rails, non-functional electrical wiring, and deteriorating paintwork.
• Safety hazards, including inaccessible bathroom fittings and a lack of emergency signage.
• Water shortages and poor maintenance are contributing to poor living conditions in some facilities.

The auditors outlined the possible root cause:

• Inadequate facility maintenance and oversight, particularly in monitoring hygiene infrastructure, and safety standards. 

• Limited investment in infrastructure upgrades and accessibility improvements, especially in facilities serving vulnerable groups. 

• Weak coordination between service providers and departmental oversight units, resulting in delayed response to facility conditions.

The auditors stated that the impact these of these challengers were:

• Adverse effects on the health, safety, and dignity of residents, especially older persons and individuals with disabilities.

• Increased risk of infections, respiratory issues, falls, and injuries due to poor hygiene and unsafe infrastructure.

• Compromised essential care services due to water shortages and poor maintenance.
• Non-compliance with legislative and regulatory standards, potentially eroding public trust in the department’s oversight of funded NPOs.

Mudely recommended that the department provide support to NPO leadership through targeted capacity-building in infrastructure management, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance. 

He also suggested that the department conduct regular, unannounced monitoring visits using standardised checklists and enforce corrective actions, and follow up to ensure resolution.

“Improve the exercise of monitoring and evaluation of NPOs every quarter and introduce a follow-up on health and safety matters identified and formally communicated to NPO management, which must be recorded, tracked and regularly monitored to ensure that challenges identified at each NPO are addressed,” he said. 

Fikile Masiko, from the ANC, said she was concerned about the funding some NPOs/NGOs are receiving, even though they are not compliant.

“Some organisations are involved with community work with the most vulnerable people. These groups should be vetted,” she said. 

The DA’s Sakhile Mngadi, said some facilities cannot be defunded because people need the services. He called for a report to be tabled to the committee on the matters. 

Sizophila Mkhize, an ANC MPL, was also concerned that the relevant departments were not conducting oversight. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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