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De Lille must play open cards on her seeming mismanagement of quarantine sites

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Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Patricia De Lille, to play open cards on her Department’s seeming mismanagement of quarantine accommodation for South Africans who are returning home. The Department of Public Work and Infrastructure (DPWI) has forked out more than R28 million on private-owned establishments to accommodate citizens who have to be quarantined.

When Members of the Public Works Portfolio Committee asked the Minister about the process of allocating people to 4 and 5 star hotels, as opposed to Public Works sites and less expensive hotels, she defended the decision by saying that many of the Public Works sites were not suitable. However, it has now emerged that a number of repatriated citizens have in fact been accommodated at Government facilities, instead of the private-owned establishments the Department has already paid for.

De Lille stated that she is investigating a “scam” in her Department where officials have been moving passengers to unapproved sites and “pocketing” the difference between those sites and the hotels that were arranged.

The DA calls for the investigation into these allegations to be independent and transparent, as this is not the first time her Department has been embroiled in dodgy dealings during this State of Disaster.

Since the announcement of the State of Disaster and the Covid-19 lockdown, Government and volunteers have worked together to repatriate more than 4 000 South Africans and to date, over 3200 of our citizens have been brought home. After a number of hugely successful and seamless operations, chaos has suddenly ensued and the blame lies squarely at the feet of Minister De Lille and her Department.

On Monday, 270 people, having flown in from the USA were left sitting on the tarmac at OR Tambo after their quarantine facility was allegedly cancelled at the last minute by Public Works. After interventions by the DA and other role players, the last of the stranded passengers were checked into their hotel at 00h45 – 8 hours after landing. The Minister has gone on record to say that the reason the accommodation was not in place was because she had requested a 72 hour notice period of incoming flights in order to get the sites set up for quarantine which had not happened and the procurement of the site had not been finalized in time.

On Tuesday, a Qatar Air flight, about to take off from Doha with a group of South Africans was grounded when a message was sent to them to say that they were no longer cleared to fly. Passengers were advised that this was because there were no quarantine sites available. This was conveyed by the South African Ambassador to the stranded citizens who spent the night in the airport in Doha. The Doha flight took off yesterday to South Africa. The passengers have been accommodated in a 5-star hotel.

The Minister’s excuse that the Department requires a lead time of 72 hours is ridiculous and impracticable. Surely, if sites have been identified in advance, paid for by the DPWI and accredited by the Department of Health – these sites should have been ready in time for the arrival of South Africans as they are not being used for any other purpose.

The DA is also concerned that Minister De Lille’s demand of a 72 hour lead time will have further challenges as more flights are expected to bring South Africans back home. We have submitted Parliamentary questions to the Minister for further clarity on the chaos surrounding quarantine sites.

Despite assurances by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure that they are in a state of readiness to address the quarantine needs arising from the Covid-19 crisis, it appears that there is a great deal of confusion and mismanagement.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

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