South Africa adopts measures to avoid corruption in flood relief efforts

South Africa's government is establishing comprehensive oversight structures to ensure that disaster relief funds for the victims and reconstruction of flood-stricken KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province are not subjected to theft and corruption.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration hopes the new measures can help the country avoid a repeat of the rampant public sector corruption that occurred during the state’s initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

An estimated 7.8 billion rand (more than €483 million) of corruption was uncovered by South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit after it was tasked with looking into allegations that public sector officials were involved in widespread coronavirus-related procurement fraud.

During a televised address on Monday evening, Mr Ramaphosa said there was no room for corruption so the new oversight committee would supervise the work needed to rebuild KZN’s devastated infrastructure and provide relief to the flood victims.

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“Learning from the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are drawing together various stakeholders to be part of an oversight structure to ensure all funds disbursed to respond to this disaster are properly accounted for and that the state receives value for money,” Mr Ramaphosa said.

The oversight committee will comprise government auditors, religious leaders, members of labour and community-based organisations, as well as MPs and engineers.

South Africa’s president went on to say that although a comprehensive assessment of the economic cost of the floods had still to be made, “it is clear it will run into billions of rands for the rebuilding of infrastructure and loss of production”.

Mr Ramaphosa’s announcement was made after he told South Africans that the country was returning to a national state of disaster to address the fallout of the unprecedented floods caused by days of torrential rain earlier this month.

The flood-related death toll in the province stood at 448 as of Tuesday, but dozens of people are still missing.

A preliminary assessment report from the KZN Department of Human Settlements indicates that more than 12,000 homes were destroyed or badly damaged by the floods and mudslides in the eastern coastal province.

The national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is identifying suitable state land to resettle those who lost their homes, but in the short term, temporary accommodation is being constructed for them.

More than 40,000 people have been displaced by the disaster, according to officials. Many of the victims are shack dwellers who built their homes along riverbanks or in areas prone to flooding.

Many roads were also badly damaged, as was essential water, sewage and electricity infrastructure. Operations at the country's busiest harbour, Durban port, have been badly disrupted and more than 600 schools are in need of repairs.

Co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, told reporters on Tuesday that climate change was to blame for the disaster, but she admitted there were also weaknesses in local government’s spatial planning.