Gungubele defends R1 billion in KZN relief

The army water tankers providing water to communities in Inanda. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA)

The army water tankers providing water to communities in Inanda. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA)

Published May 23, 2022

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The R1 billion in relief measures would be provided once infrastructure departments in KwaZulu-Natal have used their funds in the budgets after reprioritisation, says Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele.

He said that when the disaster struck, the National Treasury had given assurance that R1bn was available in contingency reserves and would be made available after the province had exhausted its funds.

The issue of R1bn was raised in the meeting of the ad hoc committee on KZN floods on Monday when Gungubele and top officials in his department briefed members of the committee.

Members of the committee said the government was not clear about where and how the money would be used in relief measures.

Gungubele said the R1bn was in contingency reserves and would be made available by the government after the provincial departments had used their own funds.

This was after the government had asked departments and entities to reprioritise their budgets for meet social relief efforts in KZN.

“I know, undoubtedly, the minister of finance has said there is R1bn contingency fund, which is in the coffers of the National Treasury. This is a fact,” Gungubele said.

“But the minister would have said infrastructure departments, whenever there is a budget allocated to them there is a portion for contingency situations and disaster.

“Once that is done and finished they are expected to access the R1bn. They are mainly targeted to phase one relief. One billion rand for immediate intervention is there. That contingency fund exists.”

The other phases of intervention related to the rebuilding of the province and there would be R25bn for that.

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Political Bureau