The Public Protector’s (PP) office says its findings on the Buffalo City Metro’s Mandela memorial scandal will be ready by the end of March.
The South African Communist Party’s provincial executive committee on Monday called on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to release her findings “as soon as possible”.
Advocate Mthwakazi Thomas, representing the PP’s Eastern Cape office, announced in February last year that the PP would investigate the case after the Daily Dispatch published details of how more than R5.9-million was paid out to Victory Ticket, a company owned by Mzwandile Sokwali and his wife, Busisiwe Boti.
Sokwali and his wife entered into a plea bargain with the state, leading to his conviction and that of his company, while his wife was acquitted.
The metro set aside R10-million in December 2013 to assist with hiring venues and ferrying mourners to memorial services in Qunu, Port Elizabeth and around BCM for the late statesman.
Mandela died on December 5, and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan announced immediately thereafter that all government departments and municipalities would be allowed to assist with finance in preparations for memorial services and the funeral.
Gordhan’s orders were that state funds would be used strictly to hire venues and transport people.
But the Dispatch revealed a month later that, in fact, in BCM, part of the R5.9-million paid to a service provider was indirectly used to buy food and T-shirts.
Along with the Sokwalis, who applied to have their case handled separately, several senior metro councillors, including the mayor, Zukiswa Ncitha, deputy mayor Themba Tinta and the ANC’s BCM regional secretary, Pumlani Mkolo, as well as several East London business people are still expected to appear in court in April, for their alleged involvement in the scandal. SACP provincial spokesman, Siyabonga Mdodi, said the party wanted Madonsela to release her findings now because local government elections were around the corner.
“The report should not be used as an electioneering tool for the DA-led opposition like it happened with the Nkandla report.”
“ should be used as a means to getting to the root of what had transpired and ensure accountability for all those who might have been found to have done wrong,” said Mdodi.
Public Protector spokesman Oupa Segalwe said: “The investigation is at an advanced stage ... We are trying to have the matter concluded by the end of March, but we cannot guarantee this because we do not have enough investigators. The investigator is dealing with this matter has other cases to investigate. We can only do what is humanly possible,” added Segalwe.
Memorial findings ready soon
The South African Communist Party’s provincial executive committee on Monday called on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to release her findings “as soon as possible”.
Advocate Mthwakazi Thomas, representing the PP’s Eastern Cape office, announced in February last year that the PP would investigate the case after the Daily Dispatch published details of how more than R5.9-million was paid out to Victory Ticket, a company owned by Mzwandile Sokwali and his wife, Busisiwe Boti.
Sokwali and his wife entered into a plea bargain with the state, leading to his conviction and that of his company, while his wife was acquitted.
The metro set aside R10-million in December 2013 to assist with hiring venues and ferrying mourners to memorial services in Qunu, Port Elizabeth and around BCM for the late statesman.
Mandela died on December 5, and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan announced immediately thereafter that all government departments and municipalities would be allowed to assist with finance in preparations for memorial services and the funeral.
Gordhan’s orders were that state funds would be used strictly to hire venues and transport people.
But the Dispatch revealed a month later that, in fact, in BCM, part of the R5.9-million paid to a service provider was indirectly used to buy food and T-shirts.
Along with the Sokwalis, who applied to have their case handled separately, several senior metro councillors, including the mayor, Zukiswa Ncitha, deputy mayor Themba Tinta and the ANC’s BCM regional secretary, Pumlani Mkolo, as well as several East London business people are still expected to appear in court in April, for their alleged involvement in the scandal. SACP provincial spokesman, Siyabonga Mdodi, said the party wanted Madonsela to release her findings now because local government elections were around the corner.
“The report should not be used as an electioneering tool for the DA-led opposition like it happened with the Nkandla report.”
“ should be used as a means to getting to the root of what had transpired and ensure accountability for all those who might have been found to have done wrong,” said Mdodi.
Public Protector spokesman Oupa Segalwe said: “The investigation is at an advanced stage ... We are trying to have the matter concluded by the end of March, but we cannot guarantee this because we do not have enough investigators. The investigator is dealing with this matter has other cases to investigate. We can only do what is humanly possible,” added Segalwe.
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