National DSD failure causes further delays of ECD Stimulus Relief Fund Payments

It is with deep regret that I must inform the public that there will be further delays regarding the finalisation of payments of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Stimulus Relief Fund to those eligible ECD centres that are still waiting to receive funding. 

The delays experienced are due to the National Department of Social Development (DSD)’s failure and inability to implement a functional system capable of adequately verifying the details of all ECD programmes and services that applied for the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund.

I have on several occasions, written to the National Minister for Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, to urgently address the various delays surrounding the verification and processing of ECD Stimulus Relief Fund payments since the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday, 25 July 2021, that these respective funds would be made available.

More recently, the National DSD decided to hand over the entire responsibility of verifying the details of ECD centres and processing the respective payments of the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund to the provincial Department of Social Development. This decision comes after the fact that thousands of ECD centres across the country have been left in the dark for months-on-end as to whether their applications for the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund have been successful or not.

Now that the provincial Department of Social Development has been charged with the responsibility to finalise the payments of those ECD centres that are yet to be paid, I wish to alert the ECD sector that we are committed to completing this process as swiftly and effectively as we can. 

At present, the provincial Department of Social Development is in the process of finding an appropriate Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) partner to assist with the verification and processing of the payments of those eligible ECD centres yet to receive funding. 

Furthermore, we will communicate regularly to keep the sector informed regarding how far we are in finalising this process.  

The ECD sector has been particularly hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic due to prolonged closures. Consequently, the Early Childhood Development Employment Stimulus Relief Fund is part of sustaining employment opportunities in the sector in light of the high unemployment rate and job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Western Cape government has received R53 million as part of the ECD Stimulus Relief Fund. Of the 3159 applications made from Western Cape ECDs, the provincial DSD received  1 415 approved applications from the national Department of Social Development. The approved applicants were the ones that passed the initial eligibility criteria set by the national Department of Social Development.

To date, we can report on the following:

• 5 679 staff members have been paid thus far at a value of  R 23 772 384.00  at 1 302 ECD sites. 

For more information contact:

Any persons interested in finding out more information about the services we offer, individuals can make contact with our department by calling 0800 220 250, to be directed to your nearest local DSD office.

For more information about our other services, please refer to the Western Cape Department’s Website below: 

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development