Fundraising Amendment Bill approved

By Libuseng Nyaka

BETHLEHEM – The chairperson of the Free State legislature’s education, health and social development portfolio committee Montseng Tsiu has expressed disappointment at community members’ failure to contribute inputs to the amended Fundraising Bill presented to them on Tuesday June 6 2023.

Instead of contributing to the draft law, most of community member, mostly non-profit organisations, vented their frustration and challenges regarding funding from social development.

“Our community did not contribute that much because most of the people were NPOs. Many of them want funds that are given to them by social development. Maybe it is because they heard that the Bill is presented by national social development and they thought lets us go and talk about our funding that we get from social development. But on a positive note, most of them have voted in support of the bill.”

In an interview with The Guard, acting chief social assistant from national social department Dr Maureen Mogotsi, said “the bill seeks to consolidate funds and enable us to intervene effectively during disasters.

“Because other funds are dormant, we are not able to access them. The bill also empowers the board to raise funds, unlike the previous law which did not have that component, especially now that we have lot of disasters. To intervene effectively during disasters you need to have funds.”