“I do not know what happened to the rice.”
This was the response from Nelson Mandela Bay municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki when quizzed about what had happened to the rest of the 40 tons of rice donated to the city by Taipei in October.
Previously Mniki had said most of the rice was in storage, while infrastructure and engineering political head Andile Lungisa denied the city had accepted the donation at all.
Taiwan consul-general Dean Wang, who had confirmed the rice was handed over to the city and accepted by deputy mayor Thsonono Buyeye on October 2, said he was told the consignment had been distributed to needy people by officials in the city.
“We donated the rice to the city government and they took it and delivered it to needy people.
“We rely on the Port Elizabeth City Hall and they said they delivered the rice to people who need it,” Wang said.
“They were meant to give us a report a month after distributing it, but up until now I have not received a report, so I don’t know if they gave it to the people or not.
“This was an expression of love from Taiwan to local people ahead of winter and we donated it through the city government to relate this work.”
The matter of the rice donation came up during a December 4 council meeting after DA councillor Jonathan Lawack questioned what had happened to the 40-ton consignment.
At the time, Lawack accused the political leadership and city of hiding the rice.
Buyeye did not respond to a request for comment, along with mayoral committee member in charge of economic development and tourism, Queenie Pink.