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Members of the Vhembe NGO Forum, photographed at the Department of Social Development in Vhembe, where they protested against the non-payment of their stipends.

Vhembe NGOs begging for outstanding stipends

 

NGOs under the umbrella of the Vhembe NGO Forum have vowed not to submit their monthly reports until they are paid their outstanding stipends to run their programmes.

Forum members gathered at the Vhembe square on Tuesday and marched to the district social development offices where they handed over their grievances to the acting director of the department, Mr Rudzani Mulaudzi.

He promised to pass on the grievances to the relevant authorities.

Forum spokesperson Ms Fancy Malapela said that her members had not received their monthly allowances for three months now. She said they had been in constant engagements with the department over a range of issues, but their meetings had not borne any fruits. Malapela said financial constraints were adversely affecting them as they could no longer run their programmes.

"We had planned for Youth Month activities, but we could not run them as we do not have the funds. We have families to support, and how do they think we could look after them without money? The officials are getting paid every month while we suffer doing their work on the ground," she said.

"We are being treated like second-hand residents of this country without any rights. Even the lowest-paid workers have a minimum wage, but we who are doing a big job are not taken seriously. We voted for this government and we deserve the fruits of this democracy. As of now, we have taken a stand that we will not submit the monthly reports until we get paid what is due to us," Malapela said.

Munna Ndi Nnyi Men's Forum chairperson Mr Bardwell Mufunwaini called on social workers from the department to show respect and not treat NGOs as their own businesses.

 

News - Date: 21 June 2019

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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