Top South African musicians have been dragged into the never-ending Nelson Mandela funeral spending scandal – more than a year after the world-renowned statesman was buried at his ancestral home in Qunu.
This revelation comes after the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) was this week forced to admit to having spent in excess of a million rand on a night vigil that flopped so badly five of the agency’s officials had to be hauled over the coals for their role in the event.
The then chief executive Luxolo Rubushe was forced by the agency’s board to hand in his resignation. He left the agency in April last year.
Highly-placed sources said the night vigil had been dubbed as a “pre-tears” party and was held in a marquee a stone’s-throw away from Mandela’s farm in Qunu on December 14.
The Dispatch was told the agency spent a total of R2.5-million on the chaotic “pre-tears party”.
It has denied this, claiming it spent R1.3-million on the party to pay top artists like multi award-winning East London-born singer Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkutukane and Mzwakhe Mbuli and to hire a stage and a sound system.
Today the Dispatch can exclusively reveal Zahara and Mbuli – also known as “the People’s Poet” – were each paid about R75000 to perform.
They were meant to headline a line-up of mostly South African musicians.
The tourism agency had planned to use the event to promote the province to international dignitaries like talk show host Oprah Winfrey, billionaire Sir Richard Branson and TV personality Gayle King, who all attended Mandela’s funeral in Qunu.
It floppe d. Not a single performance took place. The stage was delivered to the wrong address while the artists either did not pitch or did not perform.
The agency also failed to attract the numbers it had catered for leading to most of the food going to waste.
The spending and looting of millions of rands meant for Mandela’s funeral has embarrassed the Eastern Cape provincial government. Since his burial the provincial administration has hopped from one scandal to another.
Following a series of exposés in the Dispatch last year, top politicians, provincial government entities and top government executives are now subject of an investigation by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
Another group of senior politicians, council officials in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, as well as businesspeople with strong political connections, are in court on allegations of fraud relating to nearly R10million the council had set aside for Mandela’s funeral. This after a Dispatch investigation found the money ended up being divided among politicians and businesspeople.
Government officials this week were embarrassed to talk about it.
“It was very disorganised. In fact the event never took place. The artists did not perform. It was an embarrassing flop,” a well-placed government source, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said.
“The stage and the mics did not arrive. They were apparently delivered to the wrong venue. Security was too tight and it was not easy for people to gain access, as a result people went to another event running at the same time.”
TK Nciza, the co-founder of TS Records and head of Zahara’s management team, confirmed his artist was billed to perform at the party. He, however, defended her.
“The artists arrived on time and were prepared to perform. They even went to greet ECPTA and municipal officials. The fact of the matter is there were issues with the organisers of the event,” said Nciza.
Asked how much Zahara was paid he said: “It was more than a year ago, I cannot remember the details.”
Zahara was booked for the event after her Nelson Mandela extended album, which included a tribute to the former president and also featured Mbuli, topped the charts on iTunes in July 2013.
The agency this week said it was in the process of disciplining those employees responsible for this. Among them is executive director for Destination Tourism Eddie Marafane.
The ECPTA has also been asked to make submissions to the Office of The Premier as the public protector’s investigation into Mandela funeral spending in the province is also taking place.
ECPTA chief executive Vuyani Dayimani admitted there was fruitless expenditure associated with the flopped “pre-tears”.
“R500000 of the R1.3-million was classified as fruitless as the artists did not perform. This amount included costs associated with their travelling, accommodation and logistics.
“The remaining R800 000 was for additional items the service provider incurred around the preparation of the venue to be utilised for the function. It was classified as irregular and unauthorised (expenditure),” said Dayimani.
Sources said Rubushe resigned after the board launched a probe into the unauthorised spending of R1.3-million.
“The board started asking questions, so he jumped during that time. He would also have been disciplined,” a source said.
Another well-placed source said Rubushe was asked to resign. But Rubushe and the ECPTA denied this.
“I can state without any fear of contradiction my resignation was unrelated to the matter of a night vigil. Board minutes and audio records of our meetings should attest to this.
“Anything to the contrary is obfuscation or disingenuous at best. Anyone who professes otherwise should provide evidence to support such before people’s names are impugned. My resignation was voluntary, based on the two main reasons that were stated on my resignation letter,” said Rubushe.
Mandela funeral 'pre-tears' party shock
This revelation comes after the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) was this week forced to admit to having spent in excess of a million rand on a night vigil that flopped so badly five of the agency’s officials had to be hauled over the coals for their role in the event.
The then chief executive Luxolo Rubushe was forced by the agency’s board to hand in his resignation. He left the agency in April last year.
Highly-placed sources said the night vigil had been dubbed as a “pre-tears” party and was held in a marquee a stone’s-throw away from Mandela’s farm in Qunu on December 14.
The Dispatch was told the agency spent a total of R2.5-million on the chaotic “pre-tears party”.
It has denied this, claiming it spent R1.3-million on the party to pay top artists like multi award-winning East London-born singer Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkutukane and Mzwakhe Mbuli and to hire a stage and a sound system.
Today the Dispatch can exclusively reveal Zahara and Mbuli – also known as “the People’s Poet” – were each paid about R75000 to perform.
They were meant to headline a line-up of mostly South African musicians.
The tourism agency had planned to use the event to promote the province to international dignitaries like talk show host Oprah Winfrey, billionaire Sir Richard Branson and TV personality Gayle King, who all attended Mandela’s funeral in Qunu.
It floppe d. Not a single performance took place. The stage was delivered to the wrong address while the artists either did not pitch or did not perform.
The agency also failed to attract the numbers it had catered for leading to most of the food going to waste.
The spending and looting of millions of rands meant for Mandela’s funeral has embarrassed the Eastern Cape provincial government. Since his burial the provincial administration has hopped from one scandal to another.
Following a series of exposés in the Dispatch last year, top politicians, provincial government entities and top government executives are now subject of an investigation by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
Another group of senior politicians, council officials in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, as well as businesspeople with strong political connections, are in court on allegations of fraud relating to nearly R10million the council had set aside for Mandela’s funeral. This after a Dispatch investigation found the money ended up being divided among politicians and businesspeople.
Government officials this week were embarrassed to talk about it.
“It was very disorganised. In fact the event never took place. The artists did not perform. It was an embarrassing flop,” a well-placed government source, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said.
“The stage and the mics did not arrive. They were apparently delivered to the wrong venue. Security was too tight and it was not easy for people to gain access, as a result people went to another event running at the same time.”
TK Nciza, the co-founder of TS Records and head of Zahara’s management team, confirmed his artist was billed to perform at the party. He, however, defended her.
“The artists arrived on time and were prepared to perform. They even went to greet ECPTA and municipal officials. The fact of the matter is there were issues with the organisers of the event,” said Nciza.
Asked how much Zahara was paid he said: “It was more than a year ago, I cannot remember the details.”
Zahara was booked for the event after her Nelson Mandela extended album, which included a tribute to the former president and also featured Mbuli, topped the charts on iTunes in July 2013.
The agency this week said it was in the process of disciplining those employees responsible for this. Among them is executive director for Destination Tourism Eddie Marafane.
The ECPTA has also been asked to make submissions to the Office of The Premier as the public protector’s investigation into Mandela funeral spending in the province is also taking place.
ECPTA chief executive Vuyani Dayimani admitted there was fruitless expenditure associated with the flopped “pre-tears”.
“R500000 of the R1.3-million was classified as fruitless as the artists did not perform. This amount included costs associated with their travelling, accommodation and logistics.
“The remaining R800 000 was for additional items the service provider incurred around the preparation of the venue to be utilised for the function. It was classified as irregular and unauthorised (expenditure),” said Dayimani.
Sources said Rubushe resigned after the board launched a probe into the unauthorised spending of R1.3-million.
“The board started asking questions, so he jumped during that time. He would also have been disciplined,” a source said.
Another well-placed source said Rubushe was asked to resign. But Rubushe and the ECPTA denied this.
“I can state without any fear of contradiction my resignation was unrelated to the matter of a night vigil. Board minutes and audio records of our meetings should attest to this.
“Anything to the contrary is obfuscation or disingenuous at best. Anyone who professes otherwise should provide evidence to support such before people’s names are impugned. My resignation was voluntary, based on the two main reasons that were stated on my resignation letter,” said Rubushe.
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