As part of the oversight program the North West Provincial Legislature is conducting in various municipalities under the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality from the 19- 21 April 2023.

As part of the oversight program the North West Provincial Legislature is conducting in various municipalities under the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality from the 19- 21 April 2023, today (20 April 2023)the Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development led by Hon. Gavin Edwards visited Banna Buang Victim Empowerment Centre in Ventersdorp, a Non-profit organisation under the Department of Social Development.

The purpose of the visit was to play an oversight role, checking on challenges and frustrations experienced by NPOs under the Department of Social Department. Centre Manager, Mr Thoriso Sebokedi took the Committee through the day to day running of the centre which started in 2012 as a Men’s Forum but ended up being a Crisis Centre. The main purpose of the centre is to manage crisis and to engage men and boys in prevention of Gender-based violence.

It has 9 employees, including a social worker and victim supporters who do advocacy programmes to create awareness on GBV. Some Victims are accommodated there for not more than 3 days before being transferred to the Thuthuzela Centre in Potchefstroom depending on the merits of the case.

During a presentation that Mr Sebokedi made for the Committee on the day to day running of the centre he identified a challenge of budget that was transferred by the Department late to the Centre and then again they are told not to use the budget until further instructions. According to documents showed to the Committee the last trench of the 2021/22 budget was transferred to the Centre on the 03 March 2023 when they are due for the 2nd quarter budget in the 2022/23. The Committee was concerned with this and contacted the Head of Department for Social Development, Mr Relebohile Mafokane who in turn promised to give a report to the Committee on the issue.

“That is irregular and unacceptable because if the NPO has been given its trench it means they met the criteria and have complied, therefore the Department has no right to give them an instruction not to use the money,” he said. He told the Committee that he is planning an Indaba for all NPOs to give them a platform to voice all their challenges.
Hon Edwards ensured that Mr Mafokane gave a go ahead to the centre to use the budget and ignore the unlawful instruction they were given before.

The Committee continued to visit Lesego clinic in Ikageng, Potchefstroom, with an ideal clinic status of gold. According to the Acting Clinic Manager, Ms Glenda Shuping the clinic has back- up generator, jojo tank for emergency water supply, no shortage of medication. The only challenge they stated was a shortage of staff as they attend about 130 pateients a day with only 1 doctor and 4 Professional Nurses.

The Committee was impressed with the overall running and also resolved to request the Department of Health to a 12hour service clinic instead of the 8hour service facility it is. “We will also talk to the Department to ensure that they attend to the shortage of staff issue,” said Hon. Edwards.