COVID-19 Youths Funds In uMzingwane: Who are the Beneficiaries?

Gross irregularities in the disbursement of COVID-19 Relief Funds unearthed. Graphic by Pixabay

BY NQOBILE BHEBHE | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | AUG 22, 2021

In Umzingwane, the corrupt allocation of COVID-19 youth relief funds has prejudiced many deserving applicants.

UMZINGWANE (The Citizen Bulletin) — Siphosethu Nkiwane* operated a vendor stall in Habane township of Esigodini since 2016 and had a modest lifestyle for a 27-year-old.

She majored mainly in selling basics and was about to pilot a grocery delivery initiative to several gold mines dotted around Esigodini.

Unregulated gold panners, known for their carefree spending attitudes, after a huge gold find were her primary target customers.

However, in March 2020, COVID-19 hit the country; a lockdown was introduced to slow down the spread of the pandemic but with devastating effects to her business.

With strict travel restrictions in place and enforced by security forces, Nkiwane stopped trading and her lifestyle took a turn for the worse

“I started spending savings I had made from my business as my source of income was curtailed. Life became unbearable,” she reflects.

There was a glimmer of hope following the announcement of a $17 million COVID-19 Youth Relief Fund set aside by the Government to cushion youth-led businesses from the shocks of the pandemic.

She quickly submitted her application to Umzingwane District Office under the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation with all required documentation to be eligible to benefit.

“However, hopes of reviving my business faded when I was told my application was not successful. No further reasons were given save to say the district allotted numbers have been filled up.”
Siphosethu Nkiwane*, 27-year-old Esigodini youth

“I thought my application met all requirements for the fund and had promised my clients that I would be back in business soon,” narrates Nkiwane (not her real name).

According to the grant terms, eligible youth-led businesses were entitled to a grant of up to ZWL$5 000. It was a once-off payment.

Nkiwane's initial disappointment turned to anger when she learnt that the country’s Auditor General Mildred Chiri had unearthed gross irregularities in the disbursement of the funds in her report titled “COVID-19 pandemic Financial Management and Utilisation of Public Resources in the Country’s Provinces.”

An audit revealed that some of the beneficiaries had non-existent identity numbers. Image by Unsplash

According to the report, “Umzingwane District Office under the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation recommended thirty-seven (37) beneficiaries who did not meet the beneficiary criteria.

“These beneficiaries received a total amount of $111 214…” reads part of the report.

The report adds that, according to the COVID-19 Youth Relief Fund Operational Framework Section 3 (2) (a), beneficiaries of the COVID-19 relief funds should have proof of operation for a minimum of six months to a year prior to the lockdown.

The proof of operation included invoices, orders, delivery notes, bank statements, EcoCash statements and affidavits among other requirements.

“A sample of the thirty-seven (37) beneficiaries examined by audit revealed that the beneficiaries either had non-existent identity numbers or their businesses were not registered and did not fulfil the set criteria.”
Auditor-General Mildred Chiri’s report reads

To further expose the questionable disbursement of the funds, the report revealed that Umzingwane District Development Officer could not distribute five Net One lines to selected athletes who had been affected by the COVID-19 due to the non-availability of contact details of the individuals.

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The five intended beneficiaries are said to have not applied for consideration through the District Development Office, therefore the district did not have their contact details.

“I also sent a report to the Province stating that the people who received the athletes’ funds were not part of those who applied through the District office.”

“The District was required to select only 4 athletes using the criteria of first-come, first-served basis. This was done by the selection committee and forwarded to the Province. However, none of the recommended names received the funds” reads part of the report.

Nkiwane called for transparency in future relief funds meant for the youths and prosecution of corrupt administrators.

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