Erratic payments by the Eastern Cape government are sending more than 100 orphaned and abused children, some as young as three months, to bed on empty stomachs.
The payment woes also result in staff members at the King William’s Town Child and Youth Care Centre not being paid.
Social development spokesman Mzukisi Solani said “glitches” in transferring funds were the result “of a transition in payment methods following new treasury regulations”.
“Before we used to transfer these funds in advance, meaning at the beginning of every month. However, since treasury came up with new guidelines, saying the government must pay after services have been rendered, we now transfer them at month-end,” Solani said.
“However, the department will listen to cases where there are difficulties and try to meet those centres halfway,” he said.
COPE MPL Bishop Lievie Sharpley, who visited the centre last week, said: “This sad state of affairs but at many other places across the province as well.”
He said he would raise the issues of inadequate funding and timeous allocation with the department and in the provincial legislature. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Orphans starve in Bhisho Bungle
The payment woes also result in staff members at the King William’s Town Child and Youth Care Centre not being paid.
Social development spokesman Mzukisi Solani said “glitches” in transferring funds were the result “of a transition in payment methods following new treasury regulations”.
“Before we used to transfer these funds in advance, meaning at the beginning of every month. However, since treasury came up with new guidelines, saying the government must pay after services have been rendered, we now transfer them at month-end,” Solani said.
“However, the department will listen to cases where there are difficulties and try to meet those centres halfway,” he said.
COPE MPL Bishop Lievie Sharpley, who visited the centre last week, said: “This sad state of affairs but at many other places across the province as well.”
He said he would raise the issues of inadequate funding and timeous allocation with the department and in the provincial legislature. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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