An Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) official who was central to the payment of R4-million for failed services tied to Nelson Mandela’s memorials, has resigned.
Eddie Marafane threw in the towel as ECPTA’s executive director for destination tourism two weeks ago after details of unauthorised and fruitless expenditure around a top-secret project surfaced. His resignation has been confirmed by ECPTA chief executive Vuyani Dayimani.
The Dispatch can reveal Marafane, who was in charge of “Project M”, paid service providers despite an instruction from ECPTA’s former chief executive Luxolo Rubushe that they should not be paid until detailed invoices and supporting documents had been submitted.
Project M was meant to bring attention and tourism to the province in the aftermath of Mandela's death.
However, Project M, which was planned six months before Mandela died, included the flopped “pre-tears” party in which invited artists Zahara Mkutukana, Mzwakhe Mbuli and Lusanda Spiritual Group were unable to perform. This cost ECPTA R359160.
Marafane was tightlipped about his former employer. “It is regrettable that I am no longer employed at ECPTA. The accounting officer should be able to respond to your questions,” he said, adding the entire arrangement of the Mandela funeral was under investigation by the public protector.
One of the embarrassing moments during the preparations for the funeral was when ECPTA spent hundreds of thousands to fly and accommodate artists who could not perform because the tourism agency had failed to provide a stage and sound system.
An invoice from MM communications says Zahara and her crew, including Mbuli, were paid R11500 and Lusanda Spiritual Group was paid R55000 in performance fees.
It says R3700 was paid for the Lusanda group to travel from Willowvale, which is only 87km away from Qunu.
A total of R60000 was invoiced for travel of Zahara’s 10-member crew and R40000 for their stay in four-star facilities. Rubushe declined to pay as MM Communications did not provide proof that they paid for flights and accommodation.
But the invoice was paid when Marafane approached acting CFO Bukiwe Fokazi while Rubushe was away, with a submission to the board which was seen by the Dispatch.
“ED Destination Tourism requested the acting CFO to pay for the amount as the service provider was receiving enormous pressure from its suppliers,” Marafane wrote in the submission in which he claimed an “in principle” agreement had been reached with Rubushe.
Rubushe referred questions to the ECPTA board. “I can confirm that I refused to authorise payment for MM Communications. The PFMA does not make provision for payments based on an ‘in principle’ agreement.”
Despite a claim of R115000 being settled by ECPTA, Zahara’s manager Sanele Dlamini said they only received payment of R75 000.
Mbuli said he received R5000 from the performance fees and said no accommodation was booked for him.
“No matter how low people can sink, they must never use Mandela’s name for corruption. Let an investigation be done and if people are found to be corrupt, that is a disgrace.”
Neither Lusanda nor Betusile Mcinga of Lusanda Spiritual Group could be reached for comment.
MM Communications spokesman Sipho Ngwema said the matter was with the public protector and that an exit report contained detailed information. — siyam@dispatch.co.za/bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Funeral scandal fallout
Eddie Marafane threw in the towel as ECPTA’s executive director for destination tourism two weeks ago after details of unauthorised and fruitless expenditure around a top-secret project surfaced. His resignation has been confirmed by ECPTA chief executive Vuyani Dayimani.
The Dispatch can reveal Marafane, who was in charge of “Project M”, paid service providers despite an instruction from ECPTA’s former chief executive Luxolo Rubushe that they should not be paid until detailed invoices and supporting documents had been submitted.
Project M was meant to bring attention and tourism to the province in the aftermath of Mandela's death.
However, Project M, which was planned six months before Mandela died, included the flopped “pre-tears” party in which invited artists Zahara Mkutukana, Mzwakhe Mbuli and Lusanda Spiritual Group were unable to perform. This cost ECPTA R359160.
Marafane was tightlipped about his former employer. “It is regrettable that I am no longer employed at ECPTA. The accounting officer should be able to respond to your questions,” he said, adding the entire arrangement of the Mandela funeral was under investigation by the public protector.
One of the embarrassing moments during the preparations for the funeral was when ECPTA spent hundreds of thousands to fly and accommodate artists who could not perform because the tourism agency had failed to provide a stage and sound system.
An invoice from MM communications says Zahara and her crew, including Mbuli, were paid R11500 and Lusanda Spiritual Group was paid R55000 in performance fees.
It says R3700 was paid for the Lusanda group to travel from Willowvale, which is only 87km away from Qunu.
A total of R60000 was invoiced for travel of Zahara’s 10-member crew and R40000 for their stay in four-star facilities. Rubushe declined to pay as MM Communications did not provide proof that they paid for flights and accommodation.
But the invoice was paid when Marafane approached acting CFO Bukiwe Fokazi while Rubushe was away, with a submission to the board which was seen by the Dispatch.
“ED Destination Tourism requested the acting CFO to pay for the amount as the service provider was receiving enormous pressure from its suppliers,” Marafane wrote in the submission in which he claimed an “in principle” agreement had been reached with Rubushe.
Rubushe referred questions to the ECPTA board. “I can confirm that I refused to authorise payment for MM Communications. The PFMA does not make provision for payments based on an ‘in principle’ agreement.”
Despite a claim of R115000 being settled by ECPTA, Zahara’s manager Sanele Dlamini said they only received payment of R75 000.
Mbuli said he received R5000 from the performance fees and said no accommodation was booked for him.
“No matter how low people can sink, they must never use Mandela’s name for corruption. Let an investigation be done and if people are found to be corrupt, that is a disgrace.”
Neither Lusanda nor Betusile Mcinga of Lusanda Spiritual Group could be reached for comment.
MM Communications spokesman Sipho Ngwema said the matter was with the public protector and that an exit report contained detailed information. — siyam@dispatch.co.za/bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos