Councillor accounts for looted items
He said that all goods received were accounted for by SAPS on Wednesday, July 14 and with exception of nappies that was distributed from Wednesday, all food goods were removed by the churches on the Friday morning, July 16, repacked and distributed in accordance with their lists.
Questions were raised regarding councillor André Beetge receiving bulk looted goods during the recent unrest.
Following the allegations, demands by individuals or groups appealed to Beetge to account for items.
“After the SAPS holding facilities were full, we availed the use of our council office for the purposes of receiving and storing stolen goods under 24-hour security. Some goods arrived on Tuesday night, July 13, into Wednesday morning, July 14. In reality, it was a drop in the ocean of what was already observed confiscated on the roadside or what was taken for the rest of the night.”
He said that all goods received were accounted for by SAPS on Wednesday, July 14 and with exception of nappies that was distributed from Wednesday, all food goods were removed by the churches on the Friday morning, July 16, repacked and distributed in accordance with their lists.
“Non-food goods were subsequently removed by SAPS and accounted for against the original list. With exception of nappies and a few goods that were removed by unknown individuals from the Beach Road precinct, all goods were accounted for by SAPS and no other goods so received were distributed to any individuals or organisations except through the church network which in turn, submitted a distribution list to SAPS for verification purposes.”
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“It to date remains the best accounted for location and those reputedly established at other locations by third parties, were found empty while the majority of goods, taken on the roadside and duly noted by third parties during their shifts, neither made its way to our office, the churches or NGO/ NPO given that we are still inundated with requests for assistance or accused of withholding such goods from those in need or those hoping to distribute to the needy.”
According to Beetge, no goods that were received and stored at his offices were delivered to Bobbi Bear, Elders Voice, traditional leadership or any other entity but instead removed by the KZN Council of Churches in bulk as previously mentioned.
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