The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal calls on Premier Sihle Zikalala to release the findings of a report into R22 million that was spent on blankets.
In April this year the Department of Social Development in KZN spent R22 million on 48 000 blankets (about R460 per blanket).
During the pandemic, procurement of Social Relief of Distress items can be done without having to go through the usual rigorous tender processes, creating an opportunity for departments to handpick suppliers connected to them.
After pressure from the DA, the matter was handed over to the Provincial Treasury Department to investigate. This was launched in April and has now been completed.
According to a media article dated 22 June 2020, the Premier had already received the report on the investigation a week prior to the article being published.
The DA calls on the Premier to release the findings of the report as a matter of urgency. It is vital that this is dealt with swiftly so that those implicated in what may be another fraudulent case in the Department, can be held to account.