Question NW2838 to the Minister of Finance
25 October 2022 - NW2838
Buthelezi, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Finance
What mechanisms and/or measures has the National Treasury put in place to ensure that the R600 million allocated towards flood disaster relief in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape will not be wasted by officials and/or lost through corruption and tender bids?
Reply:
The mechanism to ensure efficient and effective spending of allocations exist in law. Disaster relief grants are appropriated on the budgets of Vote 3: Co-operative Governance and Vote 33: Human Settlements. The allocations to provinces and municipalities are conditional grants in terms of the Division of Revenue Act. The Division of Revenue Act sets out the responsibilities of the National Transferring Officer related to planning, implementation and monitoring. In addition, the accounting officers of these departments’ responsibilities are set out in section 38 of the Public Finance Management Act. Amongst others, accounting officers are responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective spending of resources, and must take appropriate and effective steps to prevent unauthorised, irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Accounting officers reporting responsibilities are set out in section 40 of the Public Finance Management Act and section 71 of the Municipal Finance Management Act. Section 12 of the Division of Revenue Act sets out the responsibilities of the receiving officer in relation to funds received from national government.