The cash-strapped Western Cape ANC is targeting businesses for relief from its financial stress. And for this it has roped in Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale who is to address a “private and exclusive” cocktail function on Thursday.
The ANC in the Western Cape is hoping to fill a cash void of R3.5 million owed to, among others, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), a car hire firm, and suppliers of election posters and T-shirts.
“Sponsors” hoping to get close to Sexwale and his director-general Thabane Zulu have been invited to cough up R200 000, R150 000 and R100 000 respectively for Platinum, Gold and Silver status at the function.
Platinum Sponsors receive two “VIP tables”, seating 10 in a “premium” position, with signage at each table, the prominent display of company logos and the opportunity to display promotional products. But instead of the ANC’s name appearing on the invitation, the function is being hosted by the “Western Cape Development Agency” (WCDA).
Several Cape Town businesses have received invitations to the event, to be held at the five-star Taj Hotel in Wale Street.
“The programme will outline business opportunities in the Western Cape. Presentations by the minister and his director-general will provide a comprehensive overview of housing opportunities in the Western Cape,” read the invitation sent in the name of the ANC’s provincial treasurer Fezile Calana.
The invitation explains that the WCDA “is motivated by the wish to give back to the communities, and through their talents and experiences, to provide leadership to the youth of the region”.
“The WCDA has identified as its first area of intervention education, economic development and entrepreneurship.”
There’s also mention of “special scholarship programmes” which would “promote integrity, the spirit of Ubuntu and regionalism”.
Calana did not want to comment on the invitation. But sources in the provincial structures of the ANC acknowledged that the WCDA was a vehicle the party used to raise funds “because white businesses don’t want to fund us”.
Hennie van Vuuren, director of the Institute for Security Studies which has researched party political funding in South Africa, said fund-raising moves like this fuelled corruption.
“One of the greatest missing pieces in the chain of anti-corruption measures remains the regulation of private funding of political parties.”
He said party funding was linked to access to ministers. Spaces were being created for elites to access politicians who had been elected by ordinary people.
Cape Chamber of Commerce president Michael Bagraim said businesses being made to pay for introductions to ministers could be misinterpreted as a bribe. - Cape Times