Govt refutes claims that it is withholding KwaZulu-Natal flood relief funds & More Trending News

• The authorities says R1 billion in funds for KZN flood relief is not being withheld.
• Instead, the reprioritisation of the cash was a part of a phased authorities mannequin to help throughout a catastrophe.
• There may also be a strict audit of the cash to make sure there is no corruption.

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The authorities says that, regardless of conjecture within the public house, there is no withholding of KwaZulu-Natal flood relief cash.

In a press release launched by authorities spokesperson, Phumla Williams, on Tuesday, she alluded to a DA press briefing.

“Government notes media reports on an allegation made by the Democratic Alliance at a press briefing that the National Treasury has refused to release funds to be used for disaster relief by KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.

“The allegations levelled towards the National Treasury is mischievous and unwarranted at a time when authorities and society are placing in all efforts to rebuild their lives of these affected by the floods and their livelihoods.”

READ | Durban councillor swears resident asking for help after floods

DA leader Francois Rodgers said that, when President Cyril Ramaphosa, in the aftermath of the floods, said R1 billion in relief funding would be made available, “he knew on the time that this was not true”.

“This has change into obvious after the KZN authorities admitted that this quantity must be discovered by way of the reprioritisation of the provincial funds over the subsequent three years.

“When a national state of disaster was declared in KZN, this should have ordinarily allowed access to funding from the contingency reserve fund. It appears that this has not happened. So where is the money and what was the purpose of the state of disaster being declared?” Rodgers requested.

Reprioritising funds

Williams mentioned that, in an occasion such because the floods, the place a catastrophe takes place, the Disaster Management Act caters for the reprioritisation of funds.

“The reprioritisation of funds are also in line with government’s budgeting system. In addressing the recent floods, government embarked on a phased approach, with the first being the immediate humanitarian relief and the second phase, which involves reconstruction and repair.”

READ | KZN noticed eight new rain data on 12 April, with Margate doubling a excessive set 25 years in the past

She mentioned the R1 billion referred to by Ramaphosa pertains to funding that is catered for within the 2022 Division of Revenue Bill, for fast response by way of the Provincial Disaster Response Grant and the Municipal Disaster Response Grant.

“The reprioritisation of funds from budgets were used to fund immediate needs. As such, there are no delays on the allocation of funds. However, there is a process that must be followed to unlock these funds.”

The course of to get funding

Williams mentioned the method for funding contains provinces and municipalities making purposes for these funds to the National Disaster Management Centre and Department of Human Settlements, who, in flip, after processing, submits it to National Treasury.

“These funds are available shortly after National Treasury receives and processes an application. It is important to emphasise that the accountability framework has not changed. The procuring departments will have to ensure that procurement and supply chain processes are strictly followed.”

Additional monitoring of cash

The authorities has put in place extra monitoring measures by way of the Auditor-General (AG) of South Africa, Williams added.

WATCH | 70-year-old Hindu temple destroyed in heavy KZN storms

The AG conducts real-time audits on the catastrophe response funds made obtainable to offer much-needed relief to affected communities, she mentioned.

“Real-time audits allows non-compliance to be identified early and institutions will be required to correct it. Government urges all stakeholders and commentators to engage with factual information and not create panic and confusion. 

“It has been simply over a month since heavy flooding wreaked havoc throughout elements of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and North West. In all these provinces, authorities and all stakeholders have been onerous at work to recuperate from these tragic occasions.

“Government is mobilising all available resources and undertaking every effort to ensure that, as we rebuild, no one is left behind,” Williams mentioned.

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