SOWETAN | Send stern message to looters

The country is in a state of disaster, the second after the one declared to deal with Covid-19. The very first state of disaster was declared in the wake of the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and some parts of other provinces, including the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. You would notice, dear reader, that the state of disaster were in all instances but one caused by natural phenomena over which humans had no control.

The one state of disaster announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address last week has in its genesis the human factor that we should, as a nation, do well to learn from so as not to repeat the mistakes in future.

As if forces of nature have something against this country, there has been natural disaster such as the aforementioned floods in KZN that set us more than a few steps back on the road to recovery after the devastation of Covid-19 and its varied lockdowns. 

In 2022, SA had a year of unprecedented power cuts, which have continued into this year with a zeal that should see us hitting depths of despair. But again while the nation, understandably sceptical about promises from an inept government, seeks to find the proverbial silver lining in the dark clouds, Mother Nature once again has unleashed its fury in the form of floods that have ravaged parts of the country.

A state of disaster is declared to help the state respond speedily to rebuilding and recovery efforts in the wake of disasters.

The problem is we don't have a great story to tell whenever this happens. Those with access to the funds often find some warped reason to deny those in need of the benefits of freed-up resources which often end up lining the undeserving, criminal pockets. A case in point was the personal protection equipment saga that saw hundreds of millions reportedly stolen during the lockdown.

There were complaints last year of flood victims not receiving the aid they desperately needed despite government announcement R1bn had been set aside to alleviate the disaster. Chances are the very same people and more have fallen victim to the current floods, but could suffer a similar fate of funds not reaching them.

Ideally, the state machinery should by now have worked out systems that will ensure the money freed up is used for the intended purposes. Had punitive action been taken against those who misappropriated funds in the past, a clear message would have been communicated and there would be none of the trepidation the nation feels against what is perceived as an initiative to plunder with each declaration of a state of disaster.