By OBAKENG MAJE
The flood-stricken Deelpan community said they will continue to fight for what is rightfully theirs. This comes after some community members were arrested and briefly appeared at the Delareyville Magistrate’s Court for arson, public violence, and destruction of essential infrastructure belonging to the North West Public Works and Roads department.
The residents embarked on a violent protest last week and torched the school. They accused the government of ignoring their plea after being hard-hit by floods early this year.
The houses belonging to many individuals were damaged and destroyed during the floods. This forced them to seek shelter in various refugee camps created by the government.
Now, on Tuesday, the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL)’s Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs will hold oversight meetings with the Office of the Premier, Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Department of Social Development, and Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Tswaing Local Municipality over the Deelpan Flood Disaster.
According to the Portfolio Committee chairperson, Aaron Mocwana, the committee was appointed as an Ad-hoc Committee that will analyse and assess the departments’ and municipalities’ intervention and relief of the disaster, which includes procurement matters and how the community was assisted.
“In May 2022, the committee conducted an oversight visit in Deelpan following a disaster, where floods damaged infrastructure which includes schools, roads, and houses,” Mocwana said.
The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality was accused of money embezzlement after it allegedly spent R7 million on water boots procurement. However, the executive mayor for Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe squashed those allegations and described them as distasteful.
“We acknowledged several media inquiries on the story that is making rounds on social media platforms alleges that during the Deelpan Floods Disaster, the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality spent over R7 million on the procurement of water boots.
“I must say this story is discouraging and disappointing if you look at the amount of energy and effort we invested in the Deelpan Flood Disaster. However, let’s put facts to fiction and stated categorically that during the disaster, schools were closed and the decision was taken that, only matriculants will continue with teaching and learning,” he said.
Molefe said, they took a decision and procured water boots for matriculants, which was a small group of learners. He said the amount used by the municipality was around R16 900.
“The rest of the water boots and other things that we contributed and delivered to Deelpan was of assistance from various stakeholders. This was a plethora of assistance coordinated under the leadership of the municipality.
“There is no way in heaven that we would have spent so much money on water boots even if such boots were made of gold. We must state though that, there are millions of rands used by the department of community services within the municipality to procure what they ordinarily need during times of disaster,” said Molefe.
He added that the only mistake they made was to name all that was procured for the entire disaster in the district, “Deelpan Expenditure.” However, Molefe said that was corrected upon receiving such a report.
“We are clear that the expenditure for Deelpan Flood Disaster expenditure is not even more than R300 000. In fact, as the municipality, we understand that this story originates from our appearance before the Portfolio Committee chaired by Aaron Mocwana.
“They called us to respond to various issues raised by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). We responded to those questions both in writing and orally. However, in the process, they asked us so many questions and made assertions on various issues that they did not invite us for including Deelpan,” he said.
Molefe said, they made an assertion of R5 million and they were offered to respond here and there. However, he said, when they were to respond, the Portfolio Committee members argued that they were under pressure because of time and requested them to write their responses down.
“We said it was unfair because they raised several damning allegations and disrepute issues live about us, but when we were about to respond, they dismissed us.
“The committee has not invited us yet but continues to concoct and propel vexatious allegations about us. Actually, this is nefarious and discourages many of us who are committed to changing the narrative,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliances (DA) spokesperson on Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs in North West, Freddy Sonakile who is also a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) said they welcome the decision to probe Deelpan Disaster Relief allegations.
The Guardian 