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The Eastern Cape government says stipend payments to skills programme beneficiaries are underway, but delays remain due to verification and admin issues.
What Happened
The Office of the Premier (OTP) confirmed that stipend payments have started for beneficiaries of the National Skills Fund (NSF) programme in the province. About 10% of recipients were paid last week, with two more payment runs planned this week to address the backlog.
The delays stemmed from a handover process between a previous implementing agent and the OTP. A physical verification process was also launched to confirm each beneficiary’s identity and paperwork.
“The department is working around the clock to finalise payments,” said spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie.
Official Response
According to the OTP, each beneficiary’s employment file must be complete, including a signed contract, before payments can be made. This forms part of internal controls to ensure accountability in managing public funds.
A dedicated command centre with finance, HR, and admin officials has been set up to fast-track outstanding payments.
“We apologise for the delays and remain committed to smooth programme delivery,” said Rantjie.
Community Impact
Many beneficiaries across the Eastern Cape have raised concerns about unpaid stipends since the programme transitioned. These include participants in youth skills and development initiatives under the National Skills Fund banner.
The department says it is engaging with beneficiary representatives and aims to complete all verifications and payments as soon as possible.
Quick Facts
- Payments began last week for ~10% of NSF beneficiaries
- Two payment runs are scheduled this week
- Delays caused by system transition and file checks
- Command centre set up to fast-track processing
- OTP committed to finalising all outstanding payments
