Cape Town - The Life Changers Church confirmed it has returned more than R54 000 of the R171 778 they received from the City for its Covid-19 relief work.
The church on Thursday laid the blame at the feet of Ward 23 Councillor Nora Grose and said they had nothing to do with the process of acquiring the Covid-19 relief fund from the City last year.
Proof of payment of R54 328.06 back to the City was circulated on social media this week, showing that the church which Mayor Dan Plato used to launch his mayoral campaign had returned monies.
Speaking to the Cape Times, pastor Mark van Pletsen confirmed that the church had returned the amount because it was a “residual” amount of the total R171 778 they received from the City.
“The money was given from the City and it was a residual amount and we didn't apply for it, there was an unspent amount and it was returned in agreement with the Hawks back in December.
“It's not a new thing and we never applied for any funding, Nora Grose was involved in accessing funding herself and that wasn't us. We have done nothing here, all we did was feed the poor,” he said.
When approached for comment on the returned amount, Plato’s office referred the Cape Times to a May statement that the City was working with authorities to recover unspent Grant funding transferred from the Atlantis-based NGO to a church in contravention of grant conditions.
“The City further notes the charging of a councillor related to this matter and will continue to offer its full assistance to the Hawks in this regard.
“Over the past year, the City of Cape Town has allocated R39 million to an emergency food relief programme, going above and beyond its municipal mandate to assist those who’ve fallen on hard times due to the pandemic and national lockdowns.
“Over 260 soup kitchens have benefited from this programme, and more than 200 000 residents now receive a daily warm meal from these soup kitchens.
“All funds spent on humanitarian relief are fully audited, allocated 100% in line with the City’s supply chain process, and not subject to political interference in any way,” read the statement.
Grose is currently out on R10 000 bail after she appeared at the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court last month for alleged misappropriation of funds alongside Atlantis pastor and chairperson of a non-governmental organisation, South African Religious Civic Organisation (Sarco) Reuben Swartz who is accused of fraudulently claiming R297 800 from the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) and using it for personal gain.
Grose on Thursday said that she could not comment on the matter as it was sub judice.
Cape Times