MEC NKOMO-RALEHOKO WELCOMES PAYMENT OF OVER 91% OF NPO SLAs AS DEPARTMENT ADVANCES A "NEW NORMAL" FOR SERVICE DELIVERY
JOHANNESBURG — Gauteng Department of Social Development MEC, Ms. Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has welcomed significant operational progress as the department successfully finalized and paid over 91% of its Quarter One Service Level Agreement (SLA) targets to Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs).
To date, the department has injected over R422 million into NPO partners across Gauteng, ensuring that frontline services reach the province's most vulnerable residents despite recent public and media anxiety regarding payment delays.
Compliance Bottlenecks and Ongoing Support
While the majority of payments have been processed, approximately 9% of the targeted SLAs remain outstanding. The department clarified that these pending transfers are tied directly to compliance and governance issues that affected organizations must resolve. Outstanding requirements include:
Tightening internal financial management controls.
Submitting statutory administrative and performance reports.
Aligning operations with legislation governing public funds.
The department is actively engaging the remaining NPOs, providing targeted administrative support to help them meet compliance benchmarks quickly and unlock their pending allocations.
Implementing the "New Normal"
To prevent future processing delays, MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko has instructed Head of Department (HOD) Ms. Phumla Sekhonyane to institutionalize a proactive framework dubbed the "New Normal".
This operational shift aims to dismantle structural inefficiencies that cause anxiety and disruptions within the social care sector.
The New Normal marks a direct shift from the old approach. Under the previous model, the department was reactive to crises, faced delayed payments, suffered from communication gaps, and focused primarily on paper text. Under the new standard, the system prioritizes early compliance risk identification, strict timelines, proactive dialogue, and a core focus on dignity and excellence.
"The New Normal recognizes that the current normal is no longer sufficient to meet the demands of a modern, responsive, and developmental state. Systems and practices which result in delays, uncertainty, and avoidable disruptions can no longer be accepted as business as usual," Nkomo-Ralehoko stated.
Elevating Quality Alongside Quantity
The MEC emphasized that the department's success will no longer be measured purely by numerical targets achieved on paper. Under the updated directive, both government officials and NPO partners are expected to focus heavily on the qualitative impact of their interventions.
Funding and evaluations will place greater weight on whether programs are restoring dignity, improving long-term outcomes, and introducing measurable positive change in areas such as child protection, older person care, and gender-based violence support.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko extended her appreciation to HOD Phumla Sekhonyane, senior management, and departmental staff for working around the clock to meet the first-quarter payment milestone, while reaffirming the state's long-term reliance on a transparent and accountable NPO coalition.
