De Lille tells officials responsible for repatriation blunder to pay out of their own pockets

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia De Lille is still fuming over the inept process of moving 200 South Africans repatriated from the United States to the wrong quarantine accommodation sites.

De Lille has made it clear that officials responsible will have to foot the bill themselves for the costly mistake.

De Lille said on Tuesday that she was only made aware of the process seven hours before the group’s arrival at OR Tambo International when they needed at least 72 hours to find them quarantine accommodation.

EWN has reported that the first group arrived on Sunday, they complained of inhumane conditions as they were left without water and food for 15 hours. The second group which arrived on Monday experienced similar problems and was left stranded for hours at the airport.

The department is investigating the incident, with at least two officials under investigation, there seems to have been poor communication with the parties involved.

“There is no signed agreement between the department of public works and Eskom… we have to interact with the hotels. The hotel confirmed that only 38 people arrived.”

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