| Gauteng NGOs challenge the Lottery |
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 Late last month, we recived a letter from the Gauteng North chapter of the National Welfare Forum (NWF), detailing several challenges organisations are having with accessing NLDTF funding and urging the national body to lobby the NLDTF on behalf of the sector.The NWF has been actively involved in this matter since the inception of the NLDTF and has consistently maintained that the prudent route for NGOs is to act jointly to call for the Minister of Trade & Industry to commence the process of making regulations that will govern the operational aspects of the functioning of the NLDTF in respect of grant-making to the charities and other sectors. The letter from the Gauteng North Forum (see below) clearly asks for the operational aspects to be dealt with to ensure that proper service delivery can take place to service recipients. But, the story is as clear as mud, with NLDTF officials, charging that NGOs share the blame for their late and incomplete submissions for funding, poor reporting on funded projects and general misguided sense of entitlement of funding. So, to date, we have had this kind of constant back and forth between some parts of the sector and the NLDTF about who is to blame and still no consensus on what we can do TOGETHER to make the system work better, for everyone. This is an invitation to you to send us your ideas about what we can do to make it better. Please send your comments and ideas to: Email – This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Fax – 0114031879 If you need help with getting your ideas or comments down on paper, please speak to your Provincial Coordinator or Chairperson to assist you. Read previous items on the NLDTF here: Lottery Crisis Lobbying for change The Chairperson National Welfare, Social service, and Development Forum National Lotteries Distribution Fund On behalf of the Gauteng North Welfare Social Service And Development Forum we hereby want to bring the following concerns under your attention for follow up with the relevant Lotto roleplayers on national level. The N.G.O. sector rely heavily on Lotto assistance for many reasons. Even more so in the present economical climate in the country and worldwide. As known the forum do represent the N.G.O. sector in the above region. The requests as stated below do represent most forum members views. The following problems are encountered with lotto applications: Delays in approval of applications. Sometimes a year would pass without any feedback. Processing 2007 claims is still not completed. Delays in payment and a lack in feedback to NGO to discuss problems encountered. No indication is given as to when the payment date is expected. Lost of the Lotto applications as submitted to Lotto despite the signature by Lotto to indicate that the application has being received. Incorrect processing of claims. These insecurity as experienced by the NGO sector pose a serious threat and planning for important projects become impossible. Various service providers who rely on Lotto funding for financial support do experience this similar insecurity. The NGO. Sector rely heavily on Lotto for funding particularly in the pmresent economic climate. It is imperative that the Lotto process claims timeously and effectively and that effective communication between Lotto and the NGO.sector exist. We hereby request the National forum to Lobby with Lotto in this regard on behalf of the NGO. Sector. Chairperson Gauteng North Forum. Bookmark this article:          |
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