11 Feb 2021

The overall credit to the COVID-19 Relief Fund as at 8 February 2021 stood at P139 620 913 in donations, says Minister of Finance and Economic Development Dr Thapelo Matsheka.

Briefing Parliament about the fund’s spending, the minister said the funds were used to finance medical supplies, food hampers, contract tracing expenses, including wage subsidy costs.

Dr Matsheka noted that government had contributed P4.3 billion for COVID–19 mitigation measures and its after effects following the pronouncement of the state of public emergency in April 2020.

He said the fund had been distributed with an initial amount of P2 billion earmarked for health supplies, wage subsidy, psycho-social support and the relocation of the diaspora. He said a further sum of P2.3 billion was approved through a supplementary budget for furtherance of the fight against COVID-19.

Dr Matsheka said out of that amount P1.3 billion was provided under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for stabilisation of businesses, P1 billion under the Ministry of Health and Wellness for procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline staff, laboratory commodities and other equipment to be used at ports of entry and isolation centres.

He also noted that there were other COVID–19 related expenses which were incurred across various sectors of government which were not part of the fund. He said they included assistance to the sports, culture and arts sub-sectors under the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) and freelance tour operators under the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism.

Dr Matsheka also told Parliament that the office of the Auditor General had undertaken a performance audit of the COVID –19 Fund and that the exercise had been completed with a report being being finalised.

He added that the report would be presented to Parliament during the first quarter of 2021/22. 

Member of Parliament for Palapye, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had asked the  minister to state the amount, equipment and any other assistance donated to the COVID–19 Fund, and how it had been utilised. He also asked  how much government contributed or set aside in the fight against COVID–19 and how it had been expended.

Furthermore, Mr Ramogapi  wanted to know when  Parliament would be availed an audited financial report of the COVID–19 Fund, saying it was a public fund and should be audited for purposes of transparency, accountability and good governance. ends