DURBAN - The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development has withdrawn financial support for the Durban Association for the Aged (DAFTA), a Non-Profit Organisation based in Chatsworth, south of Durban.
The department took the decision after several unsuccessful attempts to resolve DAFTA’s various disputes which had led to its failure to render services to vulnerable groups.
DSD spokesperson Mhlaba Memela, said there had been clear signs of instability within the organisation due to ill-treatment of employees, and contravention of the NPO Constitution over the election of the board.
Memela said in ensuring that DAFTA complied with the department’s constitutional guidelines they held several meetings with them and made various Monitoring and Evaluation visits, however it was all in vain.
According to the department, it gave the NPO sufficient time to remedy the situation before it wrote a letter to DAFTA on February, 23, 2022, outlining measures that the NPO needed to deal with. However, it still had no legitimate board of management and was allegedly riddled with internal conflicts.
The failure of the organisation to take direction and implement the department’s recommendations had forced it to take corrective action.
“The department was left with no option, but to suspend funding as it showed that the organisation had no interest in resolving challenges it faces, and adhere to its Constitution when electing Board members.
“We considered the negative impact the suspension of funding will have on the provision of services needed by the vulnerable groups. However, the Department made arrangements for the beneficiaries to get help from other organisations,” said Memela.
He said the department’s mandate was to preserve public funds if there was no legitimate board.
“Care for senior citizens remains our priority as the Department. The fact that they have also demonstrated, complaining about unsafe conditions in the centres run by DAFTA also demanded immediate and clear intervention, which the organisation seems to resist,” said Memela.
The suspension of funding is in line with Clause 4 (4.2.3) of the Service Level Agreement between the Department and the organisation. It states that if an organisation fails to comply or adhere to the compliance notice, the Department may suspend the funding pending the fulfilment of any prescribed corrective action or measures provided for in the compliance notice.
When contacted for comment DAFTA officials said they were in a meeting and would respond but none was forthcoming.
Daily News