Question NW2532 to the Minister of Tourism
13 December 2021 - NW2532
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Tourism
(1)With reference to COVID-19 relief funding via the Tourism Relief Fund, what (a) processes, procedures and controls are in place to investigate and criminally charge officials who processed non-qualifying beneficiaries who applied for the fund and (b) are the timelines, time frames and deadlines in this regard respectively; (2) what total (a) number of beneficiaries and (b) amount was paid to each (i) SA Social Security Agency grant beneficiary, (ii) Unemployment Insurance Fund beneficiary, (iii) deceased person, (iv) person in the employ of the State in any capacity, (v) person with invalid identity numbers and (vi) person with incorrect identity numbers?
Reply:
1. The Department will conduct an independent investigation into the double payment to one beneficiary. This is scheduled to conclude by end of April 2022.
2. Only (iv) person in the employ of the State in any capacity, is applicable as part of the findings related to Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). The Department is liaising with the Accounting Officers of the Directors/Owners of such beneficiary businesses to establish whether they had permission to conduct business. This is scheduled to conclude in March 2022 and the outcome will guide the department’s actions.