SA Covid-19 funds audit 'frightening'

By Nomsa Maseko

South Africa’s Auditor General Kimi Makwetu has described his findings into alleged corruption in the disbursement of the government’s Covid-19 relief fund as "frightening".

Some $26bn (£19bn), the equivalent of 10% of the country’s GDP, was disbursed to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The auditor general’s report detailed clear findings of overpricing, unfair processes, and potential fraud in government procurement. 

Mr Makwetu said delays in the delivery of PPE and concerns over quality could have been avoided through better planning and management of suppliers. 

He reported that specified PPE ordered by the health department were not delivered; instead, the department accepted poor quality items at a higher price than the original order. 

The audit also found that a large amount of funds allocated have not been spent. 

The outstanding audit report is expected to be released in November.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: AFP