DA wants breakdown of Mkhwanazi's funeral costs

The eThekwini municipality contributed R761 000 toward the funeral of late businessman Don Mkhwanazi.

The eThekwini municipality contributed R761 000 toward the funeral of late businessman Don Mkhwanazi.

Published Sep 28, 2016

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Durban - The DA in eThekwini has made sweeping allegations that R761 000 the city paid towards the funeral of late businessman Don Mkhwanazi did not go to the intended function, as the venue had been “donated” by the ICC to the family.

It was initially reported that the money was for the hire of a venue for the funeral. However, the ANC-dominated executive committee rejected the allegations.

The matter arose when a report on the funds for the business mogul’s funeral again came before exco on Tuesday. The funding had been granted as a Rule of Order 28 signed by former mayor James Nxumalo while the council was in election recess in July.

Nxumalo confirmed he had been aware of the amount for the funeral.

The report stated that the Rule of Order 28 signed by Nxumalo said the city had received a “financial assistance” request towards Mkhwanazi’s funeral. It is unclear who made the request and there is no figure contained in the document.

The request was made according to the city’s civic funeral policy, which says “council may from time to time identify individuals to be supported in terms of the policy”.

“Mkhwanazi is a pioneer and committed activist who will be remembered for paving the way for countless aspirant black businesspeople, and radically transforming the business landscape in our new democracy,” it stated.

The report added that the city footed the bill for the Durban ICC venue hire (inclusive of refreshments), sound and transport.

DA provincial and eThekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango and his IFP counterpart in exco, Mdu Nkosi, were livid.

Nkosi said: “Last week we asked for a comprehensive report but, to my surprise, there’s no breakdown. Why are we not being given the figures? How was the R761 000 spent?”

Mncwango was more blunt, saying he had been made aware by sources that the venue had been donated and not paid for by the city. He challenged his ANC colleagues to prove him wrong by providing accurate figures.

“We requested a budget breakdown of how the money was spent but it’s surprising that we are not getting that breakdown. While the city manager might say it was for the hiring of the venue, we will say things until you prove otherwise. What if I put it to you that the venue was a donation, and if this information I had is not true, it is for you to prove me wrong?”

Speaker and ANC councillor Lekgoa Mapena called Mncwango to order. “I think the report is straightforward. The details are there. All the processes of the council in terms of the budget are there monthly and the expenditure is there. As Mncwango has been advocating so much on these issues of finances, he’ll get them when the reports come - the figures will be there,” he said.

Mncwango argued that the donation claim had been backed by the Durban ICC’s financial report, which did not list the funeral as one of the events hosted in the arena over the time period in question.

Later, he told The Mercury that the funeral should have been reflected in the documents as money paid for the events would have been revenue for the ICC.

Mayor Zandile Gumede accused Mncwango of doubling up as a “well vested investigator”, but said exco was not concerned by his antics.

“We have proper structures; we rely on the reports tabled by officials and do our investigations in the manner we are supposed to. To go to ICC and check and balance everything is not for us. We are not hiding anything. If you are suspecting something, do what you are supposed to rather than to sit here and accuse officials,” she said.

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