President Cyril Ramaphosa Declares National State of Disaster Following KZN Floods, Sets Up Oversight Team
- President Cyril Ramaphosa is setting up an oversight structure to ensure that the funds allocated for KZN are used properly
- He declared a National State of Disaster following the recent floods in the province that saw 443 people dead
- The government will offer assistance to the province in three phases with clean water and shelter being the most important
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JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for transparency and accountability for the use of relief funds that have been allocated to KwaZulu-Natal following the recent floods. A National State of Disaster was declared following the crisis in the province.
Ramaphosa was speaking during his state address on Monday night when he said a team is being set up to ensure that the funds are properly administered. The torrential rains, floods and landslides claimed the lives of 443 people while thousands have been displaced.
Source: Getty Images
He said the stakeholders involved in the oversight structure include the Auditor-General, business representatives, religious bodies, labour, local organisations and professional representatives. The president added that the most important aspect at present is the supply of clean water and shelter for those who have been displaced.
The national treasury has allocated R1billion for relief efforts in the province. Rampohosa said that the government’s approach will consist of three phases, according to Eyewitness News. Phase one will include humanitarian relief by ensuring all those who were affected are safe and have basic needs. The second phase is to rehome residents and restore services to the communities. Phase three involves rebuilding the area.
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He added that a full investigation is needed to establish the cost of the floods. Ramaphosa said that the Solidarity Fund agreed to assist with humanitarian aid and National Treasury will make an amount available of the fund, through a bank account specifically created for relief for the flood disaster, Daily Maverick reported.
South African hesitant to trust Government
@LeoBombayage said:
“Where have I heard this before? Oh, in 2020 with Covid Relief Funds.”
@FxVorster posted:
“Cyril got jokes. Comrades have already been ensuring that they get theirs when it comes to water. Next is the money.”
Moegamad Qasiem Essa shared:
“The people stealing the money are the same people looking for the money. This is the way of the ANC, hopefully now after they steal the funds meant for KZN which they will. Will the people of the province vote the ANC out of power provincially all we can do is hope because ANC supporters are very loyal and blind to the truth.”
Fanie Theron commented:
“Shameful that a government need an oversight committee to oversee the allocated money, so uncivilized it's absolutely disgusting, how on earth did our beautiful South Africa come to this point.”
Esme Bense wrote:
“It’s a sad sad day when government has to promise the people of SA they won’t loot these funds. Shows just how rotten things are.”
Roy Skea posted:
“Crime, corruption, collusion and full-blown incompetence of the "comrades" has been operating at full volume long before the floods long before PPE, long before RDP scandals. It's integral to, and deeply ingrained within the ANC's "organizational" DNA. Within that context exactly what is this "oversight structure" supposed to do?”
KZN floods: Premier Sihle Zikalala says relief funds will not be looted, corrupt officials will be punished
Briefly News also reported KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says the provincial government will make sure that relief flood funds will be misused in the wake of the devastating floods in the past week.
Zikalala's promise comes after many South Africans raised concerns that the R1 billion set aside to help KZN residents rebuild their province would be looted by corrupt officials.
The heavy flooding in the province has resulted in the deaths of over 400 people and many others have been left homeless as a result of floods washing away their homes and mudslides collapsing houses.
Source: Briefly News
