Billionare businessman Patrice Motsepe’s charitable foundation has been dragged into a petty political squabble over distribution of Christmas gifts for children in East London.
The DA has accused ANC ward13 councillor Nokulunga Matiwane of leaving out the children of DA leaders and supporters.
Each of Buffalo City’s 50 wards is meant to compile a list of 150 disadvantaged children to receive toys from the foundation.
A senior Motsepe Foundation official who jetted into the city yesterday afternoon is to investigate.
The foundation’s annual Christmas With Our People events are held throughout the country and include a star-studded concert free of charge. The event will be held at the Esplanade on Saturday.
Foundation general manager Sizwe Ndzimande said: “We will look into this. I will have a meeting with the municipality, and after that I will call you with the whole story.”
It is the second time that the foundation has introduced a special package for children since the launch of the annual Christmas party in 2013.
But Matiwane denies excluding any deserving children in her ward, which includes parts of Reeston, Cove Ridge, Scenery Park, Haven Hills and Wilsonia.
Guidelines adopted by the BCM council stated that a committee had to be formed in each ward, said Matiwane, and the committee would identity its poorest children.
“Only 150 of the worst cases have been submitted. This has nothing to do with any political affiliation, only the living conditions of that child.”
“I am not even handling the collection of the names personally – there is a committee handling all of that. I am aware that there are people who are unhappy with the outcomes of August 3 and they will do anything to tarnish my reputation.”
DA caucus leader Terrence Fritz said the party’s caucus had received a complaint earlier this week.
“We still have to hold a meeting with the caucus and see how we proceed. One of our councillors did bring this to our attention.
“But first we need to establish the facts and make sure that those allegations are true,” he said.
Ndzimande said although the matter had not yet been brought to their attention the foundation took the allegations very seriously as all they were hoping for was to bring cheer to the lives of BCM children, and not be entangled in political battles.
“The foundation respects the process that the municipality has employed to identify the most deserving children and we trust that they will be honest in carrying out the process.”
The foundation hosts similar concerts across the country in venues such as the Polokwane Cricket Stadium, Mbombela Stadium, Moretele Park and Moses Mabida Stadium.
The event attracted a crowd of more than 20000 last year, and is expected to be even better this year as award-winning artists such as Cassper Nyovest, AKA, Ricky Rick, Babes Wodumo, Big NUZ, Oskido and DJ Zinhle are set to perform.
Ndzimande said the foundation had been throwing Christmas celebrations in BCM for years and had never yet included a programme for children. “This time we want to bring something special for children.”
Fritz said they had decided they would take toys from affluent wards they control and distribute those in areas where deserving children had been left out.
Billionaire in squabble over gifts
The DA has accused ANC ward13 councillor Nokulunga Matiwane of leaving out the children of DA leaders and supporters.
Each of Buffalo City’s 50 wards is meant to compile a list of 150 disadvantaged children to receive toys from the foundation.
A senior Motsepe Foundation official who jetted into the city yesterday afternoon is to investigate.
The foundation’s annual Christmas With Our People events are held throughout the country and include a star-studded concert free of charge. The event will be held at the Esplanade on Saturday.
Foundation general manager Sizwe Ndzimande said: “We will look into this. I will have a meeting with the municipality, and after that I will call you with the whole story.”
It is the second time that the foundation has introduced a special package for children since the launch of the annual Christmas party in 2013.
But Matiwane denies excluding any deserving children in her ward, which includes parts of Reeston, Cove Ridge, Scenery Park, Haven Hills and Wilsonia.
Guidelines adopted by the BCM council stated that a committee had to be formed in each ward, said Matiwane, and the committee would identity its poorest children.
“Only 150 of the worst cases have been submitted. This has nothing to do with any political affiliation, only the living conditions of that child.”
“I am not even handling the collection of the names personally – there is a committee handling all of that. I am aware that there are people who are unhappy with the outcomes of August 3 and they will do anything to tarnish my reputation.”
DA caucus leader Terrence Fritz said the party’s caucus had received a complaint earlier this week.
“We still have to hold a meeting with the caucus and see how we proceed. One of our councillors did bring this to our attention.
“But first we need to establish the facts and make sure that those allegations are true,” he said.
Ndzimande said although the matter had not yet been brought to their attention the foundation took the allegations very seriously as all they were hoping for was to bring cheer to the lives of BCM children, and not be entangled in political battles.
“The foundation respects the process that the municipality has employed to identify the most deserving children and we trust that they will be honest in carrying out the process.”
The foundation hosts similar concerts across the country in venues such as the Polokwane Cricket Stadium, Mbombela Stadium, Moretele Park and Moses Mabida Stadium.
The event attracted a crowd of more than 20000 last year, and is expected to be even better this year as award-winning artists such as Cassper Nyovest, AKA, Ricky Rick, Babes Wodumo, Big NUZ, Oskido and DJ Zinhle are set to perform.
Ndzimande said the foundation had been throwing Christmas celebrations in BCM for years and had never yet included a programme for children. “This time we want to bring something special for children.”
Fritz said they had decided they would take toys from affluent wards they control and distribute those in areas where deserving children had been left out.
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