Gauteng Social Development MEC Thuliswa Nkabinde-Khawe has made a stern warning against unregistered Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), particularly those who work with vulnerable groups.
This comes after a media report on the department’s involvement in a legal battle with the Kingdom Life Child and Youth Care Centre over the facility’s legitimacy.
Kingdom Life, which is situated in Saulsville, Pretoria, is an NPO that is meant to render services to children and operates as a Child Youth Care Centre (CYCC).
The Children’s Act defines CYCC as a facility that provides residential care to more than six children outside the child’s family environment in accordance with the residential care programme suited for the children in the facility.
Nkabinde-Khawe said the Kingdom Life was found to be non-compliant, as it contravened the NPO Act and the Children’s Act.
“Any organisation providing service to children should be registered according to the Children’s Act, guided by specific norms and standards,” Nkabinde-Khawe said.
According to the department, Kingdom Life has an unconstitutional board; mismanaged funds as the board failed to account for funds; the facility does not meet registration requirements as prescribed by NPO Act and Children’s Act; and the Kingdom Life Social Worker Violation of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, amongst others.
“As Gauteng Social Development, it is in the best interest of the children to be removed from this facility and the movement will be done through the court as these children were placed through court orders.
“The department will continue to assist the organization to be registered for compliance, however we cannot keep children in the centre that is contravening the laws of the country and put children at risk,” Nkabinde-Khawe said.
She added that the Gauteng Provincial Government has adopted a 365 Child Protection Programme to ensure that children are, and feel safe.
The purpose of the Child Protection Programme is to build a protective environment for children, free from violence, abuse and exploitation.
Through the programme, a commitment was made that by 2020, boys, girls, and women at risk and survivors of violence, exploitation, and abuse have access to an improved and equitable prevention and response system. – SAnews.gov.za
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