By: Zethu Gweva
After struggling to maintain their Non-Profit Organisations, 144 NPO’s from around the metro received R2.4 million from the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Grants-in-aid funding.
The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Executive Mayor Xola Pakati said the grants-in-aid funding is to assist NPO’s that deal with vulnerable young and old people.
“Oliver Tambo said a nation that can not look after its children does not deserve its future. As we are about to leave we need to ensure that we leave this world in caring hands and by doing so, we need to show that care by executing it now while children are watching,” said Pakati.
Pakati said those who prey on vulnerable children and the elderly are destroying the social fibre of the communities they seek to build every day, therefore it is their responsibility to ensure that vulnerable people are protected.
According to Pakati due to the high rate of unemployment and the South African economy, the municipality took the responsibility to support the organizations that assist the community.
“We recently gave bursaries to students going to tertiary as one of our contributions to assisting and supporting our community,” he Pakati.
One of the recipients from the People Opposing Children and Women Abuse Project based in Ndevane Ward 49 Xoliswa Dalasile said, they received an amount of R20 000 from the municipality. She said they will buy Jojo tanks as they do not have water and they will also fence the area.
“We are very happy because the money will assist us with fencing and securing the area. We also do not have water and the offices we work in are in very unpleasant condition,” said Dalasile.
People Opposing Children and Women Abuse Project is an organization that goes around schools, educating children about what is abuse, how to prevent abuse and when do know one is being abused.
Another recipient Emzamowethu Daycare Centre based in Ncera Village Nokubonga Ntozakhe said the Day Care Centre received R16 000 and it will assist with fencing the area and fixing the toilets.
“We are in the village, without the fence animals come in and out of the daycare putting the lives of children in danger,” she said.