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Another sinister side to the Life Esidimeni saga has unfolded in the disappearance of whistle-blower Nomawethu Kunene.

Kunene who is the Deputy Director of A re Ageng reported irregular payments made by the Department of Social Development which were intended to fund unlicensed NGO’s that would be taking on mentally ill patients transferred from Life Esidimeni.

There has been no effort by the ANC Provincial Government to speak out about her disappearance.

Gauteng Premier, David Makhura’s silence on the matter has been deafening.

Last year, Kunene was reportedly arrested in Pretoria on charges related to drugs and fraud - a few months after she had reported conduit payments made by the Department of Social Development.

There was a vicious campaign by Social Development officials, whose names are known to us, to force A re Ageng to transfer money to these unlicensed NGO’s. Failure to do so was met with the threat of shutting down the NGO.

Gauteng Social Development MEC, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza was made aware of the behaviour of her officials and did nothing to stop them – instead she has denied that officials in her department had acted out of turn.

Kunene is now missing and no-one knows what has happened to her.

If Premier Makhura was really a man committed to his word of taking accountability for the Life Esidimeni saga, he should institute a high-level investigation to ascertain the whereabouts of Kunene.

If there has been any nefarious involvement of government employees in her disappearance, swift and harsh action must be taken against them.

In a country battling to fight the scourge of corruption created by the ANC, a climate of fear and despair cannot be tolerated when individuals reveal the extent of the abuse of power and wish to safeguard the public purse.

The DA insists that Premier Makhura act now before it is too late and another casuality is added to the Esidimeni saga.

Issued by DA