The DA has called for a Public Protector investigation into eThekwini’s soup kitchen programme, alleging possible corruption, procurement failures and unsafe conditions, amid claims of inflated food pricing and mismanagement.
Image: File: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has referred alleged corruption and procurement irregularities in eThekwini Municipality’s soup kitchen programme to the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka.
The party is requesting a full investigation into possible financial misconduct, inflated pricing, and health and safety violations in a programme costing about R280-million annually.
The party alleges that the tender documentation it has reviewed points to possible price inflation in food supply contracts, including an instance where a 10kg bag of samp was reportedly charged at about R2,500, compared to an estimated retail price of around R100.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that corruption is responsible for eThekwini spending R2,500 per bag of samp for its soup kitchens. These 10kg bags cost R100 in a retail store,” DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen said in relation to the allegations.
Hoosen said the party has formally requested a full investigation into possible corruption, financial misconduct, procurement irregularities, gross overpricing, and health and safety violations, as well as procurement processes, pricing structures, and oversight mechanisms, adding that supporting documentation had been submitted to the Public Protector.
The DA also raised concerns about the conditions at some soup kitchens, alleging that certain facilities operate in unsafe and unhygienic environments, including one site in Moorton, Chatsworth, which it claims is rat-infested.
“The DA visited some of these 92 kitchens across the municipality, and we found them in an appalling state, exposing them as a health hazard,” the party said.
A soup kitchen programme costing hundreds of millions should be in much healthier and more sophisticated conditions, said Hoosen.
The party said it had previously exposed the programme and also referenced a recent Carte Blanche exposé, stating that there are serious questions about how tenders were awarded to what it described as questionable companies.
The eThekwini Municipality has defended its soup kitchen programme, saying it remains a critical lifeline for thousands of impoverished residents across the city.
The municipality said the programme currently provides meals to about 32,900 beneficiaries every weekday across 94 soup kitchens, with an annual operating budget of about R141-million allocated to groceries, bread, gas, and stipends.
It acknowledged operational and infrastructure challenges at some sites, as well as pressure caused by rising food and fuel costs and increasing demand, but rejected what it called “negative and unfounded portrayals” of the programme.
Officials said food samples are regularly tested to ensure compliance with safety standards, while interventions are being implemented to improve operations, including partnerships with NGOs, businesses, and faith-based organisations.
The municipality said training and refresher programmes on food handling and hygiene are also being rolled out, while plans are underway to replace container-based kitchens with improved structures and eventually permanent facilities.
It added that supply chain challenges are being addressed through partnerships with local farmers and internal restructuring, while a broader review of the programme is underway to improve efficiency and sustainability.
“Every meal served represents a concerted effort by the Municipality to ensure no one goes hungry,” the statement said.
The DA has asked the Public Protector to investigate possible corruption, financial misconduct, procurement irregularities, gross overpricing, and health and safety violations, as well as procurement processes, pricing of contracts, oversight mechanisms, and whether public funds may have been misused or unlawfully diverted.
The party added that in a city facing high unemployment, many residents rely on meals from the programme for survival, and stated that the current administration has failed vulnerable communities.
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