‘We are being inundated with calls from concerned citizens. If anyone witnesses any transgressions, it must be reported to the nearest police station.’
THE HAWKS are being “inundated” with complaints of food parcel abuse since they started investigations in the Northern Cape.
Various complaints are being made on a daily basis by community members regarding undeserving beneficiaries who are receiving food parcels while the needy and vulnerable members of society are left empty-handed.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Friday that they were not able to go into the merits of the cases or give an indication of how many cases were being investigated.
“We are being inundated with calls from concerned citizens. If anyone witnesses any transgressions, it must be reported to the nearest police station,” said Mulaudzi.
He said that the Hawks arrested a 33- year-old suspect in Jan Kempdorp on Thursday after they acted on information about food parcels that were meant to be distributed to identified deserving households but were redirected to unknown persons.
“It is alleged that two victims from different households were defrauded by making them sign receipt of the food parcels. The suspect promised to deliver the food parcels at a later stage but never did. The food parcels were provided by the Department of Social Development to selected individuals, worth an estimated value of R900 each.”
Mulaudzi said the suspect was expected to make his first appearance in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, April 28, on a charge of fraud.
“The Hawks appeal to the public to report to their nearest police stations any corruption that they witness or experience during this time.”
DA provincial chairperson Harold McGluwa said the party would report to the relevant authorities a councillor from !Kheis Municipality, who was allegedly driving around unaccompanied by any authorities or officials from the Department of Social Development with food parcels in the boot of his car in Groblershoop.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that no amount of warning will deter unscrupulous people from taking advantage of vulnerable members of society,” said McGluwa.
He called for the immediate precautionary suspensions of any councillors or officials alleged to be involved in the misappropriation of food parcels.
