Flak over ‘leaked’ papers

But no cuts for NPOs, insists MEC

KWAZULU- NATAL Social Development MEC, Weziwe Thusi, has said there would be “consequences” for the leaking of the department’s “confidential” document on the funding of non-profit organisations to the opposition.

This comes after Thusi received a document from DA MPL, Rishigen Viranna, backing his claim that the department was cutting the subsidies of NPOs in the province.

Viranna had earlier last week promised to share with Thusi and the legislature portfolio committee correspondence that originated from the department’s Umzinyathi district to NPOs.

Speaking at a media briefing in Durban on Friday, Thusi confirmed that Viranna had shared the document as promised. “It is one of the leaked documents from the department to a political party. We are attending to that.”

Thusi described the department document as “confidential”, and said it had been leaked.

“It is not correct,” Thusi said in expressing her disapproval at it landing in the hands of the opposition MPL.

“The head of department is going to deal with that, and there will be consequences,” she said.

Thusi later told a “closed” meeting with the department’s district managers and NPOs to advise civil servants to refrain from handing out information to political parties, including the ruling party.

“Even if the ANC comes to you to ask, speak to your seniors and never allow yourselves to go to a political party,” Thusi said in a recorded video circulated on social media.

She reiterated her previous statements there would be no subsidy cuts for NPOs, despite budget cuts in her department.

She also said her department was in the process of rationalisation, “which looks at social welfare services the department renders and also seeks to address imbalances in spatial distribution of services – which are biased mostly toward urban areas”.

Thusi also said the department had adopted a ward-based approach to deliver services, and an audit had revealed, that vast communities were under-serviced.

She also said the audit had found the department had enhanced its capacity to render services to communities, and there was less reliance on NPOs.

Thusi took a swipe at media reports that created “unnecessary” panic in the NPO sector and painted a wrong picture about the state of the affairs regarding subsidy cuts.

She said her department and NPOs had found each other and there was no more panicking after a meeting last Tuesday. “There were a few NPOs that were worried. I had to attend to them to clear the air,” Thusi said.