Zulu ‘vindicated’ by AG’s Covid-19 report

Kimi Makwethu released the findings of a report into the spending of government’s multi-billion rand Covid-19 relief package in Pretoria on Wednesday. 

The report found that the distribution of the food parcels by the Department of Social Development was not always effective and that its out-dated system opened up cracks in the system. 

“The report of the auditor-general clearly indicated to us that our systems need to speak to each other so that we do not have people that rob government of money,” Zulu told MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“The challenge faced both with the application and the disbursement processes have afforded the portfolio an opportunity to revaluate the manner in which we do business. We have learned that electronic applications and disbursement channels can be implemented with proper controls to detect and prevent leakages.”

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Zulu said she has been vindicated by the report’s findings.

“Let us go back to what we were being attacked for, for delaying the payment when we kept on saying one of the reasons why we are unable to pay willy-nilly, we are unable to pay without due process, was we were trying to avoid exactly the same thing that was raised by the auditor-general.

“We wish to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa for ensuring that the auditor-general does not wait until the end of our implementation and give us an opportunity to look for the weaknesses in the system.”