“We are struggling to take care of the 65 children that have special needs and disabilities at the home”.
HELEN Bishop Home in Kimberley has not received funds from the Northern Cape Department of Health for the past seven months and the home has exhausted the funds it received from donors.
Staff members are also concerned that they will not receive their salaries for the month.
“We are struggling to take care of the 65 children that have special needs and disabilities at the home as there is a shortage of food and supplies,” said the staff members yesterday.
“We were informed by management that for the past seven months the home has been utilising funds it has received from sponsors and the National Lottery to pay salaries and fund its running costs, but that these funds have since dried up.
“If no funds are made available the home will have its electricity and water supply disconnected.
“We are worried about who will take care of the children and Helen Bishop Home as it is the only facility that caters for special needs children in the whole Province.”
The spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Health, Lebogang Majaha, explained that the processing of payments were delayed as the necessary reports had not been submitted on time to the department.
“However, following the verification processes of reports, the department has committed to process payments before the end of this month,” said Majaha.
“The administrative team of the department will also have a meeting with the Helen Bishop Home management to discuss the compliance processes and procedures, to avert such situations where staff members march to the department demanding payments.”
