Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said she will not resign over reports that her department failed to distribute R100 million from the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA) to programmes for survivors of gender-based violence.
“No, I do not intend to resign over unfounded allegations peddled in the media,” Zulu said in response to written parliamentary questions from DA MP Bridget Masango.
Masango had enquired whether she intended to tender her resignation in the light of the alleged failure by her and her department’s acting director-general, Linton Mchunu, to distribute R100m from the CARA to programmes for survivors of gender-based violence and femicide.
She also said there was a collapse of the gender-based violence command centre after her R45m contract with service provider Brilliantel led to the firing of social workers and ended free services to GBV victims.
Zulu said the National Development Agency (NDA) has an obligation to protect public funds at all times.
She said the NDA has to date funded 312 civil society organisations as part of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
“Of this number, 22 organisations were found to be in breach of the funding agreement. As a result, the funding that was earmarked for these organisations was put on hold pending further investigation.
“The NDA board, which took the decision to put the transfer of CARA funds to the organisations that were red-flagged for breach of funding agreement, has a fiduciary responsibility and is required to act in the best interest of the organisation as per the Public Finance Management Act.”
Zulu also said the GBV Command Centre is fully operational and no social workers were fired.
Cape Times