Lesufi urged to investigate disappearing food parcels

Acting Gauteng social development MEC Panyaza Lesufi has been urged to look into alleged theft of food parcels, the SABC reports.

A truck delivered parcels to Smart Angels daycare in Johannesburg South on Thursday, but the food was allegedly stolen overnight.

Case of vanishing food parcels in Ekurhuleni 

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Refiloe Nt’sekhe has called on Lesufi to look into the incident.

“The community had already queued up waiting for food parcels. As you can imagine people are hungry this time. We are now saying MEC Lesufi should really come out and investigate this because people cannot have food parcels being stolen under their noses. It is important that whoever is guilty is brought to book and must face the full might of the law because it’s really, really disgusting that people can’t have food and somebody feels entitled to stealing that from them.”

Refiloe Nt’sekhe

Gauteng food parcels in the spotlight again

The Gauteng Department of Social Development was earlier in the month accused of being complicit in a similar incident.

According to the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), the department’s officials allegedly handed food parcels to their own families instead of intended recipients.

Nt’sekhe said politicians should be reminded of the purpose of the food parcels.

“It is high time that both the department officials and politicians be reminded that these food parcels are meant for the poor so that they have sufficient sustenance during the period of national lockdown and are not be used for political gains.”

Refiloe Nt’sekhe

Earlier in the week, Lesufi urged communities to report any suspected wrongdoing from officials.

“I must also reiterate what Premier David Makhura said that the Gauteng provincial government (GPG) will not tolerate the politicisation of food and that councillors are not involved in the processing and distribution of food parcels managed by the Department of Social Development.”

Panyaza Lesufi