Benevolent Park should remain an NPO, says ACDP
Too many irregularities, including the election of the new board at Benevolent Park and video footage circulating on social media of financial documents being burnt, raise serious concerns about the true nature of what is happening at Benevolent Park.
This is according to the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) councillor in Mossel Bay, Jeanette Gouws.
The decision was made in a council meeting at the Mossel Bay Municipality in March to deregister Benevolent Park as a non-profit organisation (NPO) and establish a non-profit company (NPC).
Gouws says the ACDP does not agree with this and the party rejected the proposal.
She says the reason offered for such a radical step was that the Democratic Alliance (DA) had only just become aware of the financial constraints of the organisation, yet when she requested a report mentioned by the mayor, the date of the report was from 2019 - five years ago.
Gouws alleged that a request for the original lease agreement between Mossel Bay Municipality and Benevolent Park was not forthcoming, with the municipality "stating that they cannot find the original lease agreement and that they only have the most recent one which was dated in 2013".
She said: "The persons interested in running Benevolent Park as an NPC have stated that they will not assist the home as an NPO but the ACDP can see no reason why those who are now interested in the retirement home cannot conduct their charity work as an NPO."
Gouws says Benevolent Park has a rich history in Mossel Bay, with residents from across the different culture groups having raised funds to start the home when the need in the community for such a home became clear.
"As an NPO the home remains an institution of the community in which, if the constitution of the NPO is followed, professional persons manage the institution as a board.
"The ACDP supports the rights of the community to retain ownership and rights to Benevolent Park, not only to ensure the original intent to accommodate the aged but also as a proud community-initiated and -funded organisation."