KZN Welfare MEC Uninformed and Irresponsible

January 26, 2007

The IFP has reacted with disappointment to the televised comments by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Welfare Meshack Radebe, who slated the record of his predecessor, Inkosi Nyanga Ngubane.

“The current MEC has created the impression that his predecessor was uncaring and did not do enough to eradicate fraud and corruption in the department. Such comments are untrue, uninformed and irresponsible,”
said Les Govender MPP, who represents the IFP on the Social Welfare portfolio committee in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Parliament.

The MEC also alleged that Inkosi Ngubane did not care enough about poverty to spend the R70-million national Food Grant. “This is a downright misinformation on the part of the MEC. The food grant could not be spent by court order pending clarification of the respective tender,” said Govender.

The IFP insists that the department under Inkosi Ngubane was committed to eradicating poverty in the province as well as fraud and corruption in its own administration. “This is evidenced by numerous awards received by the department for its efforts in poverty alleviation,” said Govender.

The IFP also wishes to remind the MEC that both the parliamentary Social Welfare portfolio committee and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) expressed satisfaction at the department’s audit report. “The MEC was not present on the occasion and his comments are therefore out of place,” said Govender.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Les Govender
082 448 8787