Interim board steps in to protect children

AN INTERIM board has stepped in to prevent more than 35 vulnerable children from facing neglect or being abandoned on the streets, as the Sinothando Child Welfare Centre in Galeshewe teeters on the brink of closure.

- SANDI KWON HOO

No representative from the Northern Cape Department of Social Development was present on Tuesday to accept a petition from the Sinothando Concerned Community Group.

The petition called for a forensic investigation into alleged maladministration, corruption, and mismanagement of funds at the centre, dating back to 2010.

“Our investigations reveal serious governance and operational failures that threaten the sustainability of the centre and the welfare of the children under its care,” it stated.

A new interim board was elected on the pavement after concerned community members were prevented from entering the premises.

Interim board chairperson Mthuthuzeli Matshoba indicated that, in the absence of audited financial statements, the centre was not eligible to apply for funding.