The King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality has spent close to half-a-million rand on food in the third quarter of the 2015-2016 financial year.
The information is contained in the municipality’s financial report.
More than R13000 was spent on bottled water and about R20000 on Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
The expenditure is in addition to another R400000 spent in the second quarter of the same financial year, putting this financial year’s catering expenditure to more than R800000.
In the second quarter of 2014-2015, KSD spent R300000 on food bought for 13 Integrated Development Plan public outreach meetings.
At the time, the municipality said the funds were taken from the municipal support infrastructure grant.
In 2013, then municipal manager Zizamele Mnqanqeni issued a memo curbing spending on catering during meetings, travel, seminars and accommodation.
The moratorium was placed after the municipality fell on hard times after emptying its reserves to pay R100-million of a R300-million legal bill.
KSD had lost a prolonged legal battle against property development company Landmark which had planned to build a shopping centre on a land under claim.
But just two months after curbing spending on paper, KSD officials blew R600000 on catering and accommodation for councillors and municipal officials.
Four months after the belt-tightening memo, Mnqanqeni took officials on a four-day junket in Port St Johns.
But municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the expenditure was for a “good purpose”.
“We know and are aware that the former municipal manager issued an instruction on belt-tightening, but that does not mean municipal programmes must stop.
“Some of the meetings which were catered for were municipal meetings and it was necessary to have food available.
“The expenditure was done for fruitful business of the municipality – it was for a good purpose.”
Mampoza said he was surprised that a council document which had yet to be tabled in council, had made its way to the media.
Political parties have condemned the expenditure, calling it “reckless”.
DA councillor Raymond Knock said: “We have had many meetings where there was no catering because we are still under belt-tightening.
“It comes as a surprise that such huge amounts of money were spent on food alone. We have yet to sit and discuss whether we are in the green financially or not, so as to justify this expenditure.”
Civic Alliance of South Africa councillor Pasika Nontshiza said: “A moratorium was placed in 2013 related to catering. We suspect fraud and corruption – this requires a forensic probe.”
Council chief whip Zanemvula Gusana could not be reached for comment. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
KSD splashes out R500000 just on food
The information is contained in the municipality’s financial report.
More than R13000 was spent on bottled water and about R20000 on Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
The expenditure is in addition to another R400000 spent in the second quarter of the same financial year, putting this financial year’s catering expenditure to more than R800000.
In the second quarter of 2014-2015, KSD spent R300000 on food bought for 13 Integrated Development Plan public outreach meetings.
At the time, the municipality said the funds were taken from the municipal support infrastructure grant.
In 2013, then municipal manager Zizamele Mnqanqeni issued a memo curbing spending on catering during meetings, travel, seminars and accommodation.
The moratorium was placed after the municipality fell on hard times after emptying its reserves to pay R100-million of a R300-million legal bill.
KSD had lost a prolonged legal battle against property development company Landmark which had planned to build a shopping centre on a land under claim.
But just two months after curbing spending on paper, KSD officials blew R600000 on catering and accommodation for councillors and municipal officials.
Four months after the belt-tightening memo, Mnqanqeni took officials on a four-day junket in Port St Johns.
But municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the expenditure was for a “good purpose”.
“We know and are aware that the former municipal manager issued an instruction on belt-tightening, but that does not mean municipal programmes must stop.
“Some of the meetings which were catered for were municipal meetings and it was necessary to have food available.
“The expenditure was done for fruitful business of the municipality – it was for a good purpose.”
Mampoza said he was surprised that a council document which had yet to be tabled in council, had made its way to the media.
Political parties have condemned the expenditure, calling it “reckless”.
DA councillor Raymond Knock said: “We have had many meetings where there was no catering because we are still under belt-tightening.
“It comes as a surprise that such huge amounts of money were spent on food alone. We have yet to sit and discuss whether we are in the green financially or not, so as to justify this expenditure.”
Civic Alliance of South Africa councillor Pasika Nontshiza said: “A moratorium was placed in 2013 related to catering. We suspect fraud and corruption – this requires a forensic probe.”
Council chief whip Zanemvula Gusana could not be reached for comment. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
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