By: Natasha Archary
The Auditor-General will oversee the use of the KZN relief funds to ensure that corruption is kept at bay.
This after several opposition MPs raised concerns in both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces with President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week.
Ramaphosa addressed a joint sitting of parliament around government’s response to the KZN flood disaster, on Tuesday, 26 April.
The president said it was a “great shame” that the public are concerned about corruption in the aftermath of the country’s worst natural disaster to hit both KZN and parts of the Eastern Cape.
More than 448 people have been killed in the floods with hundreds more still missing. The death toll continues to rise as clean-up operations take place, the water begins to subside and more bodies are discovered in the wreckage.
The cost to repair damage infrastructure like collapsed roads, bridges and railway lines are estimated at R17 billion.
PRASA estimates that more than 300km of rail infrastructure in KZN has been affected and it will cost R3 billion to restore the network.
Thousands of people were affected by the floods with a large number left homeless and seeking accommodation in shelters throughout the province.
Ramaphosa said the rebuilding response to the KZN floods comes as the province and country is still trying to rebuild a strained economy impacted by Covid-19 and the July unrest of 2021.
Now, Treasury will need to guide and keep regular audits of the funding that will be allocated to the disaster.
The president highlighted several measures which will be implemented to ensure accountability and oversight of the KZN relief funds.
Earlier this month the president said R1 billion would be allocated to flood victims who lost their homes.
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