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Toti Community Assist’s founder responds to allegations

TCA was started in February 2022 to bring first responders and emergency services onto one platform where they could easily be accessed by community members.

THE founder of Toti Community Assist (TCA), Dalene Heath, has refuted allegations that she is refusing to make bank statements available to see if the donations she has collected from the public have been used for the intended purposes.

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TCA was started in February 2022 to bring first responders and emergency services onto one platform where they could easily be accessed by community members. In 2024, it registered as a non-profit company.

The person who approached the SUN with the allegations, who asked to remain anonymous, said Heath has been collecting monetary donations on behalf of first responders, but no one knows if the funds are being spent accordingly.

“Dalene started an online group for emergencies, but when one lady started asking that bank statements be posted online so everyone can see what is happening to the donations, she was kicked out of the group. Dalene refused to show us the statements. TCA has helped many people in this community, but if we donate, we need to see what is happening to our money,” said the woman.

When approached for answers, Heath denied refusing to account for the donations and invited the SUN to her home to view the bank statements. She also clarified that the TCA is a non-profit company, not a non-profit organisation.

“I’m aware of the people who have been saying this, and they were asking me to post the bank statements online. The bank statements are available to anyone who wants to view them, but I can’t just post them online because that would reveal the donors’ personal information. I’ve always said anyone who wants to see the bank statements is welcome to come to my house and view them,” said Heath.

She agreed that a person was suspended from the online group, but said that came about after they repeatedly broke the rules by making non-emergency posts.

Non-profit companies are required to maintain proper financial records and prepare annual financial statements. They also have reporting obligations under the Companies Act of 2008, which include submitting annual returns to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.

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Vusi Mthalane

Vusi Mthalane is a senior journalist with the South Coast Sun newspaper. With more than 13 years of newsroom experience, he covers stories that matter to communities along the South Coast, from Isipingo to Umgababa. His work has also appeared in The Witness, Zululand Fever, and the South Coast Fever.

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