ANC bosses in the Eastern Cape have summoned premier Phumulo Masualle and three mayors to its provincial headquarters, Calata House in King William’s Town, to answer about the Nelson Mandela funeral funds scandal.
Masualle, Buffalo City Metro executive mayor Xola Pakati, OR Tambo mayor Nomakhosazana Meth and King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Dumani Zozo have all been summoned to the party’s provincial headquarters to explain how millions of rands meant for the mourning period leading to Mandela’s funeral was looted, as public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found in her Mandela Funeral report released on Monday.
The fourth municipality, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, which was also fingered in the report, will not have its mayor Athol Trollip in Calata House as he is not an ANC deployee. On the sidelines of the provincial general council on policy in East London, ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi yesterday confirmed Masualle and the mayors had been summoned.
In her report, Mkhwebane revealed, among other things, that the Eastern Cape government had diverted R300-million of taxpayers money meant for social infrastructure towards preparations for the world icon’s funeral four years ago.
Several irregularities ensued in the spending of the money in what Mkhwebane referred to as “unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money”.
The report, in the main, pointed fingers to the provincial government headed by Masualle, BCM, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, the OR Tambo district municipality as well as the KSD local authority. Ngcukayitobi said Masualle and the mayors of the implicated municipalities will appear before the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting scheduled for next Monday. It will be the first time that Masualle presents himself in the PEC since the “festival of chairs” conference in East London ICC more than two months ago.
“That is where we will get the comprehensive response to the Nelson Mandela funeral scandal, Premier Masualle will be part of that meeting so he can give us his perspective because we have requested that particular discussion with him,” said Ngcukayitobi.
“But also the mayors from municipalities that have been reflected on the public protector’s report will find space to give their perspective in so far as the remedial actions are concerned.”
Meanwhile, Ngcukayitobi said that the PEC had also confirmed Masualle will form part of the provincial working committee (PWC). This could be seen as an attempt to forge unity between rival groups comprised of Masualle supporters and those of new provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane. This follows the chaotic provincial conference where Masualle and his supporters marched out of the conference, paving the way for an overwhelming Mabuyane victory.
Ngcukayitobi also touched on certain issues that were the highlight of yesterday’s discussion on refining of policies that the province will champion for adoption at the ANC’s 54th national congress at Nasrec, a process that continues today.
In the spotlight, yesterday was the communication and battle of ideas commission where Ngcukayitobi said discussions ensued on how the ANC should capacitate its members with political enlightening to enable them to “defend the revolution to make sure that it takes another shape into the future”. That shape, he said, among others is ANC Eastern Cape’s push for the ANC conference to take a resolution to amend Section 25 of the country’s constitution to decisively address the land question and accelerate economic transformation.
“Our focus is on how do we deal with issues of land ownership patterns, temper and change Section 25 of the Constitution so that it makes things easier for the transfer of land to the majority of South Africans,” said Ngcukayitobi.
With education, economic transformation and, communication and battle of ideas having taken centre stage in the policy discussions yesterday, today the focus changes to strategy and tactics, organisational renewal and health.
Ngcukayitobi said these discussions will also be tabled for further scrutiny by the PEC at Monday’s meeting where logistics for Nasrec will also be deliberated on. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
#MandelaFuneral scandal: Big guns ordered to explain
Masualle, Buffalo City Metro executive mayor Xola Pakati, OR Tambo mayor Nomakhosazana Meth and King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Dumani Zozo have all been summoned to the party’s provincial headquarters to explain how millions of rands meant for the mourning period leading to Mandela’s funeral was looted, as public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found in her Mandela Funeral report released on Monday.
The fourth municipality, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, which was also fingered in the report, will not have its mayor Athol Trollip in Calata House as he is not an ANC deployee. On the sidelines of the provincial general council on policy in East London, ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi yesterday confirmed Masualle and the mayors had been summoned.
In her report, Mkhwebane revealed, among other things, that the Eastern Cape government had diverted R300-million of taxpayers money meant for social infrastructure towards preparations for the world icon’s funeral four years ago.
Several irregularities ensued in the spending of the money in what Mkhwebane referred to as “unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money”.
The report, in the main, pointed fingers to the provincial government headed by Masualle, BCM, the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, the OR Tambo district municipality as well as the KSD local authority. Ngcukayitobi said Masualle and the mayors of the implicated municipalities will appear before the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting scheduled for next Monday. It will be the first time that Masualle presents himself in the PEC since the “festival of chairs” conference in East London ICC more than two months ago.
“That is where we will get the comprehensive response to the Nelson Mandela funeral scandal, Premier Masualle will be part of that meeting so he can give us his perspective because we have requested that particular discussion with him,” said Ngcukayitobi.
“But also the mayors from municipalities that have been reflected on the public protector’s report will find space to give their perspective in so far as the remedial actions are concerned.”
Meanwhile, Ngcukayitobi said that the PEC had also confirmed Masualle will form part of the provincial working committee (PWC). This could be seen as an attempt to forge unity between rival groups comprised of Masualle supporters and those of new provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane. This follows the chaotic provincial conference where Masualle and his supporters marched out of the conference, paving the way for an overwhelming Mabuyane victory.
Ngcukayitobi also touched on certain issues that were the highlight of yesterday’s discussion on refining of policies that the province will champion for adoption at the ANC’s 54th national congress at Nasrec, a process that continues today.
In the spotlight, yesterday was the communication and battle of ideas commission where Ngcukayitobi said discussions ensued on how the ANC should capacitate its members with political enlightening to enable them to “defend the revolution to make sure that it takes another shape into the future”. That shape, he said, among others is ANC Eastern Cape’s push for the ANC conference to take a resolution to amend Section 25 of the country’s constitution to decisively address the land question and accelerate economic transformation.
“Our focus is on how do we deal with issues of land ownership patterns, temper and change Section 25 of the Constitution so that it makes things easier for the transfer of land to the majority of South Africans,” said Ngcukayitobi.
With education, economic transformation and, communication and battle of ideas having taken centre stage in the policy discussions yesterday, today the focus changes to strategy and tactics, organisational renewal and health.
Ngcukayitobi said these discussions will also be tabled for further scrutiny by the PEC at Monday’s meeting where logistics for Nasrec will also be deliberated on. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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