The food bank, run by the Believers Care Association, closed this week due to funding delays from the Gauteng Social Development Department.Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro
One of Johannesburg's largest food banks was forced to close this week due to delays in funding from the Gauteng Department of Social Development.
The food bank, run by Believers Care Society, distributes around 5,000 parcels each month.
Several other food banks in Gauteng are also at risk of closure due to funding delays. This is due to months of lack of stock to distribute food parcels to beneficiaries.
Ministry spokesperson Themba Gadebe told GroundUp that Believers Care Society and other food banks are currently “under investigation”. He did not provide further details about what allegations the food bank is facing. The food bank declined to comment.
A senior ministry official familiar with the situation said there were about 1,800 food parcels locked up inside the food bank building ready for distribution. Food banks are still receiving parcels from suppliers contracted with the ministry, but they are not receiving funds to distribute them.
The official said Believers Care Society was behind on rent and the landlord confiscated the keys. GroundUp visited a food bank in Booysens, Johannesburg, on Monday and found the door locked.
A security guard on the premises told reporters that the food bank was still open Friday. According to security personnel, about 20 people work at the facility. The Believers Care Association declined to comment on this.
Meanwhile, food banks are feeding thousands of families across Gauteng who rely on parcels. The ministry's goal is to reach 100,000 households annually through its food security programme.
Food banks rely on funding from the state Department of Social Development and are unable to pay rent and staff salaries.
However, GroundUp understands that funds that were meant to be used for operating costs, including rent and salaries, have not been disbursed since the start of the financial year. Our sources say this is due to delays in signing service level agreements with organizations that operate food banks.
According to a written response by Mbali Holpe, MEC for social development, to a question posed by the DA's Lephire Nsheke on 26 March, the department's spending on food relief programs had reached R185.7 million by 25 February. Reached. This includes R17.8 million for food banks and a total of R74 million for food parcels for households and HIV clinics.
GroundUp has reviewed emails between senior managers at DSD, including former department head Matilda Gasella. The communication said that as of March 31, no decision had yet been made as to which food banks would continue to receive funding in the 2024/25 financial year.
An internal memo leaked on April 17 describes some of the challenges faced by the department's food program. A memo from Acting Permanent Secretary Bongani Ngomane said food banks were short on food “for most of 2023/24” due to the expiry of parcel supply tenders. (After Mr. Gasela retired at the end of April, Mr. Ngomane was appointed acting head of the department.)
Internal communications seen by GroundUp do not mention that Believers Care Society is under investigation.
A memo leaked on April 17 states that a new supplier will be appointed in February 2024 to deliver food parcels to food banks. However, the memo said food parcel deliveries by suppliers at food banks in Johannesburg and West Rand were incomplete and in low quantities.
While the food parcels from suppliers were being delivered, the ministry did not pay the food banks for distribution costs.
The memo proposes to enter into monthly contracts with food banks until May 2024, when contracts with new suppliers end, pending the outcome of the 2024/25 funding allocation.
According to the memo, each food bank will receive approximately R600,000 in April and May. GroundUp sources say some food banks already have monthly contracts, but there are still problems processing payments.
The Believers Care Society food bank does not have a contract in place. The future of food bank funding after May remains uncertain.
Gauteng MEC Treasurer Jacob Mamabolo told eNCA in April that the food parcel tender was under investigation.
Meanwhile, thousands of families are suffering and going hungry until food parcels are ready for distribution at these food banks.
This article was first published by GroundUp.
