The FF Plus will proceed with lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, and the Gauteng government in an effort to avert a humanitarian catastrophe even greater than the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
The complaint will be lodged soon, despite the fact that Lesufi indicated, according to a TimesLive media report, that the funding cuts have been cancelled. (https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-04-24-dont-panic-lesufi-to-ngos-whose-funding-has-been-slashed/)
In its complaint, the FF Plus will request the HRC to look into, among other things, the constitutionality of the decision to reduce social funding in the first place.
The HRC must also monitor the situation to ensure that all funding is indeed paid to the relevant social organisations, despite Lesufi's assurances.
Lesufi and his Department's rash decision would have compelled many of these organisations to close their doors, leaving the most vulnerable out on the streets.
There is no shadow of a doubt in the FF Plus's mind that the decision would have caused an enormous tear in Gauteng's social safety net, causing the province to contend with a humanitarian catastrophe that would have overshadowed the Life Esidimeni tragedy by far.
Lesufi intended to channel funding away from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to drug rehabilitation, training and job-creation programmes. Such projects can, however, be funded by means of other sources.
The drug-rehabilitation programme can be funded out of the Premier's own budget, training can be funded out of the budget for education and could be combined with existing training programmes, the job-creation projects can be financed from the Department of Economic Development's budget for township development.
Last week during a meeting of the Legislature's Oversight Committee on the Premier's Office, the FF Plus reported the problem and insisted that the Committee act by compelling Lesufi to resolve the issue.
Numerous social organisations approached the FF Plus for assistance and their requests will be added to the complaint.
The party invites all affected social organisations to report any issues to the FF Plus's complaints manager, Mr Neels Hattingh, on neels@vfplus.org.za.
Lesufi has proven time and again that he is not to be trusted, therefore, the FF Plus will keep putting pressure on him to keep his word.
The vulnerable deserve better than the ANC and Lesufi's cruel and rash decisions.
