KZN Blanket Saga: DA alarmed by lack of accountability for DSD officials

17 February 2022

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is alarmed by the decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) not to prosecute officials implicated in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development’s (DSD) so-called blanket saga.

The issue relates to massive fraud and corruption in the procurement of blankets for the poor during the Covid-19 hard lockdown in 2020.

The SIU has recommended that internal and criminal charges be laid against those officials involved.  For the NPA to now say that there is insufficient evidence to follow through, raises some serious questions.

The DA believes that and a full submission of these findings needs to be made available to the KZN Social Development portfolio committee.

Disappointingly, Premier Sihle Zikalala and his DSD MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, have also reneged on their earlier commitments to take action against those involved in the scam.

It is a sad day in our democracy when money that was destined for the most vulnerable members of society was taken from them - by the very people who were supposed to help them. This at the height of a global health pandemic.

It is equally sad that an investigation which has produced proof of wrongdoing – and which recommends criminal charges – has been set aside. This is a clear case of political interference dictating innocence or guilt.

What the NPA, the Premier and his MEC are effectively saying is that if you work for government you are above the law.

If this is not the case, then the Premier and MEC Khoza must prove us wrong. The DA challenges them to act in their own capacity and honour their promise to the people of KZN that  errant officials will be prosecuted.

Issued by Mmabatho Tembe, DA KZN Spokesperson on Social Development, 17 February 2022