ANC loots electricity for its birthday celebrations – mayor of Kgatelopele must pay up
by Dr Isak Fritz, MPL – Northern Cape Spokesperson of Social Development
Date: 21 November 2017
Release: Immediate
Type: Press Statement
The DA will report the ANC in the Northern Cape to the Public Protector for using state funds to pay for councillors to attend the ANC’s provincial congress in Colesberg, earlier this year.
This comes after we obtained evidence that suggests that a fake government programme that coincided with the congress dates of 10 – 15 May 2017, was used as a screen to enable ANC councillors to claim travel and accommodation costs from municipal funds.
The DA is in possession of a copy of a letter, written on the letterhead of the Northern Cape Social Development Department, inviting the mayor of Hantam municipality, as well as ANC councillors, to attend a workshop regarding the departmental Social Relief programme. The letter is signed by the department’s Head of Ministry, Neo Maneng.
The DA, however, has written confirmation from the department that there were in fact no Social Relief workshops or related training programmes in Colebserg on the dates in question.
Despite there being no legitimate programme by the department, the DA also has proof that payments, totalling more than R17 000, were made by the Hantam Municipality for travel costs and daily allowances for three ANC councillors, the mayor and his driver, for their attendance of the alleged Social Relief programme in Colesberg.
The manipulation of government programmes, coupled with the abuse of state funds for party political purposes, is not only immoral but also amounts to nothing less than fraud.
Whilst we only have proof relating to the Hantam Municipality, we strongly suspect that the invitation was issued more broadly to other municipalities as well.
It is unscrupulous and criminal of the ANC to use Social Relief programmes, which are meant to assist the poorest of the poor, as a cover to get the government to pay for party political agendas.
The DA will not tolerate corruption of any form, on any level. We will send all related documentation to the Public Protector and request that they investigate this matter. We will also continue with our own investigations to try and establish the extent of this scam.
The people of the Northern Cape deserve a new beginning under a DA-led government, where the people’s needs come first not the luxuries of politicians.
Media Enquiries
Dr Isak Fritz, MPL
Northern Cape Spokesperson of Social Development
083 395 2737
Shelley De Witt
Researcher
082 847 1387
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