Queenstown SPCA shocked by allegations

Accusations of financial mismanagement made

The Queenstown SPCA management committee expressed disappointment with the National SPCA (NSPCA) for dismissing them, based on allegations of financial mismanagement of the institution.

This was after the NSPCA allegedly blamed the former committee for allowing the Queenstown SPCA to fall into debt of more than R356,000.

The incident came to light after the Queenstown SPCA was set to close at the end of January, due to a lease agreement with Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) not being renewed.

The local SPCA is still operating at the premises after the NSPCA negotiated a threemonth stay with the EMLM.

According to Queenstown SPCA acting chair Leanne Gregoriou, the former committee was surprised by the statement, during a Zoom meeting last Wednesday, where two NSPCA representatives informed them that they were not functioning adequately.

Gregoriou felt the allegations of financial mismanagement were unfounded and surprising.

“The committee was told that the board of the NSPCA had decided that the former Queenstown SPCA committee “had ceased to function adequately” and were therefore relieved of their duties on the committee.

“The SPCA committee is a group of people who volunteer much of their time to be the voice for the voiceless.

“As volunteers, we have jobs and families but the paid staff are employed for basic day-today running of the SPCA.”

She stated that the NSPCAs ’ statement raises various “concerns” and allegations, mostly not previously raised by it, so the former committee could not respond.

“Although there were numerous allegations, the most offensive and serious in the eyes of the former committee, were the allegations of financial mismanagement.

“The former committee strongly denies and takes offence to the being accused of this.

“There were no SPCA funds deposited into any non-SPCA bank accounts and the petty cash on hand was used to pay accounts and all transactions regarding this are documented clearly with full transparency,” she said.

The former chair also considered the ‘shock’ that NSPCA expressed over the debt to be strange given that they were sent a copy of the society’s financial statements every year, which would make them aware of the tough financial situation faced by the institution.

Gregoriou also informed that the local SPCA almost always exceeds the monthly income and accordingly, the expenses to be paid are prioritised by importance, adding that its major debt was made up of water, electricity and auditors’ costs.

“The property from which the SPCA operates is issued with one account, for water and electricity, from the municipality.

“The water and electricity used by the house in which the alleged illegal tenants reside are included in the SPCA’s account.

“The SPCA is not liable for their usage and accordingly, there is a dispute with the municipality regarding the account.

“The dispute regarding the water account has not yet been resolved.

“It was agreed with the municipality that the SPCA would have a prepaid electricity meter installed, which was done, and the electricity bill would then be paid off, which was being done.”

Gregoriou said this was given that Queenstown SPCA is entirely self-funded and relied almost exclusively on donations from the Komani community.

According to her, the NSPCA also accused the former committee of not trying to engage with the municipality, which she said was not correct, as they attempted numerous times to engage but were not successful in changing their mind about renewing the lease agreement.

“The former committee is disappointed that NSPCA has seen fit to make such accusations without approaching the committee with full details for the committee to respond first.

“The former committee would like to thank the community for their continued support during a very trying and difficult time.

“We are always available should any member of our community have any questions about the various allegations,” she said.

Among other allegations, the former chair said the NSPCA also accused the former management committee of encouraging individuals to request refunds for donations made.

She said that the former committee had, even before January 31, received queries from the public who had made donations to the SPCA as they were concerned regarding NSPCA’s role.

“When the former committee was relieved of its duties, we felt it only fair to advise the public of this and advise that should anyone wish to request their donation back they needed to contact the interim committee.

“We did not encourage the public to retract their donations but rather responded to concerns received,”

EMLM spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said, 'We extended the Queenstown SPCA’s stay for three months while the National SPCA looked for another place for them to operate from.”

The NSPCA is yet to respond to the allegations.

Read the NSPCA response in next week’s copy of The Rep.

Although there were numerous allegations, the most offensive and serious in the eyes of the former committee, were the allegations of financial mismanagement