Three Engcobo officials are in hot water after they used R12000 from municipal coffers to book accommodation to attend the chaotic ANC Youth League’s provincial conference.
Furthermore, the Methodist Church in Wilsonia, East London has slapped the embattled league with a bill for thousands of rands of damage caused.
Athom Dangazela, Lusizo Ntshinga and Nontombi Mpoyiya, booked themselves accommodation at the East London Garden Court for the weekend of the conference.
Their stay included all meals and drinks.
The Daily Dispatch learnt that the three instructed the municipal travel agent to make the bookings even though an official order was not signed.
The order, was eventually signed on Monday when the trio returned from the conference.
Engcobo’s municipal manager Silumko Mahlasela was shocked when questioned about the booking.
“I’m not aware of this, but if this is the case, the managers responsible for signing these orders will have to explain. I have not approved payment as yet and if this was for the ANCYL conference, people will be made to account,” Mahlasela said. Contacted for comment yesterday, Dangazela denied that he attended the ANCYL conference.
“I was in East London to attend a Salga meeting preparing for the upcoming games in December,” Dangazela said.
“I checked into room 126 at Garden Court on Friday, and checked out on Sunday.
“The Salga meeting started on Saturday morning and finished very late which necessitated that I spend the night over,” he explained.
However, Eastern Cape Salga spokeswoman Sandiswa Mahlangabeza distanced her institution from Dangazela’s statements.
“We do not hold official meetings over weekends.
“All meetings relating to the Salga games are held in Queenstown since, the Chris Hani district are the hosts,” she said. She said the last meeting in preparation for the Salga games was held last week on Tuesday in Queenstown.
When this was put to Dangazela for comment, he refused: “I shouldn’t have responded to you in the first place.”
He again stood firm that he had attended a Salga meeting, but refused to say who was chairing the meeting and who else from Salga attended the meeting. Ntshinga and Mpoyiya could not be reached for comment.
During the chaotic conference, a number of delegates were hospitalised as the provincial elective conference plunged into turmoil.
A fight broke out at midnight on Sunday when delegates could not agree on the adoption of credentials.
Shortly before midnight, as delegates sang struggle songs, the lights went out and the two factions started hurling chairs and throwing punches at each other.
Meanwhile, the Methodist Church which rented out its Wilsonia premises to the youth league, said the damage to its building was estimated at R5000, but might increase because they were still busy assessing.
East Coast Methodist church treasurer Alpheus Mahamba said the vandalism came as a shock as it was not the first time the youth league had used the church.
“The front and side doors are broken down and more than 40 chairs have been damaged, but we will be able to get precise numbers next week.”
Former ANCYL provincial task team coordinator, Ncedo Kumbaca, said ANC provincial officials were responsible for hiring the premises.
Attempts to get comment from the newly elected youth league secretary, Butsha Lali, were not successful. — mphumziz@dispatch.co.za/siphem@dispatch.co.za
Officials blow council funds
Furthermore, the Methodist Church in Wilsonia, East London has slapped the embattled league with a bill for thousands of rands of damage caused.
Athom Dangazela, Lusizo Ntshinga and Nontombi Mpoyiya, booked themselves accommodation at the East London Garden Court for the weekend of the conference.
Their stay included all meals and drinks.
The Daily Dispatch learnt that the three instructed the municipal travel agent to make the bookings even though an official order was not signed.
The order, was eventually signed on Monday when the trio returned from the conference.
Engcobo’s municipal manager Silumko Mahlasela was shocked when questioned about the booking.
“I’m not aware of this, but if this is the case, the managers responsible for signing these orders will have to explain. I have not approved payment as yet and if this was for the ANCYL conference, people will be made to account,” Mahlasela said. Contacted for comment yesterday, Dangazela denied that he attended the ANCYL conference.
“I was in East London to attend a Salga meeting preparing for the upcoming games in December,” Dangazela said.
“I checked into room 126 at Garden Court on Friday, and checked out on Sunday.
“The Salga meeting started on Saturday morning and finished very late which necessitated that I spend the night over,” he explained.
However, Eastern Cape Salga spokeswoman Sandiswa Mahlangabeza distanced her institution from Dangazela’s statements.
“We do not hold official meetings over weekends.
“All meetings relating to the Salga games are held in Queenstown since, the Chris Hani district are the hosts,” she said. She said the last meeting in preparation for the Salga games was held last week on Tuesday in Queenstown.
When this was put to Dangazela for comment, he refused: “I shouldn’t have responded to you in the first place.”
He again stood firm that he had attended a Salga meeting, but refused to say who was chairing the meeting and who else from Salga attended the meeting. Ntshinga and Mpoyiya could not be reached for comment.
During the chaotic conference, a number of delegates were hospitalised as the provincial elective conference plunged into turmoil.
A fight broke out at midnight on Sunday when delegates could not agree on the adoption of credentials.
Shortly before midnight, as delegates sang struggle songs, the lights went out and the two factions started hurling chairs and throwing punches at each other.
Meanwhile, the Methodist Church which rented out its Wilsonia premises to the youth league, said the damage to its building was estimated at R5000, but might increase because they were still busy assessing.
East Coast Methodist church treasurer Alpheus Mahamba said the vandalism came as a shock as it was not the first time the youth league had used the church.
“The front and side doors are broken down and more than 40 chairs have been damaged, but we will be able to get precise numbers next week.”
Former ANCYL provincial task team coordinator, Ncedo Kumbaca, said ANC provincial officials were responsible for hiring the premises.
Attempts to get comment from the newly elected youth league secretary, Butsha Lali, were not successful. — mphumziz@dispatch.co.za/siphem@dispatch.co.za
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