Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday reportedly warned against those planning to loot funds meant for the vulnerable in KwaZulu-Natal in the wake of devastating floods that left more than 400 people dead.
Ramaphosa said this while addressing a joint sitting of parliament on the catastrophic floods.
According to IOL, Ramaphosa said he had roped in the Auditor-General, Tsakani Maluleke, to work with the National Treasury in keeping an eye on the funds.
“We must ensure that all funds used to respond to this disaster are spent effectively. It is a gross source of shame when this disaster struck the most burning public debate was around fears that resources allocated to respond to this disaster will be misappropriated or wasted. This shows us just how tired the people of South Africa have become of corruption. It is a stern reminder to all of government and businesses providing goods and services that the people of South Africa will not stand for acts of self-enrichment at the expense of those who have already lost,” the report quoted Ramaphosa as saying.
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Ramaphosa said more money would be needed to deal with the rebuilding work that needed to be done to repair damaged infrastructure in the three affected provinces, The Citizen reported.
“We have to ensure that all funds used to respond to this disaster are spent effectively,” he said, as quoted by the report.
The president last week declared a national state of disaster to respond to the floods that left nearly 4 000 homes completely destroyed, and over 8 300 homes partially damaged.
“This is a humanitarian disaster that calls for a massive and urgent relief effort,’ Ramapgosa said at the time.
According to Times Live, Ramaphosa said all the areas affected by flooding would require a significant commitment of resources to recover from the disaster.
“We will need to mobilise substantial funding within a fiscal environment that is severely constrained.
“We have to provide support to displaced households and rebuild roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure, while at the same time sustaining expenditure measures in support of the reconstruction and recovery of our economy,” the report quoted him as saying.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Picture: Twitter/PresidencyZA
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