Durban - A businessman has been told to go to former premier Zweli Mkhize about R2.3 million he says he is owed for staging events for Mkhize’s then spokesman Ndabezinhle Sibiya.
The businessman, Nicolas Dranias, blamed Sibiya for unpaid bills which he said had left his De La Sol Cocktail Bar in Florida Road in financial difficulty after it hosted the high-profile events.
Dranias said Mkhize attended some of the events while he was the premier. Mkhize has since taken up the position of treasurer-general of the ANC. Senzo Mchunu is now the new KwaZulu-Natal premier.
Dranias filed court papers with the Pietermaritzburg High Court in February to recover the money.
According to the papers, in 2009 he and Sibiya had a verbal business deal.
Mchunu’s spokesman Thamsanqa Ngwenya said the office of the premier had filed a notice of exception. “After requests made to him (Dranias) to provide documentary proof of his vague claims, he is yet to present such evidence to the department.”
Dranias said on Monday he had met senior officials at Mchunu’s office in Durban.
He said officials, including Mchunu’s adviser, Mike Newton, told him it would be better to talk directly to Mkhize about recovering the money.
“They gave me Mkhize’s direct number, and this morning (Tuesday) I SMSed him, but I have not received a response,” he said.
Dranias said for four years he had been trying to get Mkhize to talk about the matter.
He said Mkhize had attended about four events.
“He came for an interview with Gagasi (FM) where DJs such as Black Coffee and Zakes Bantwini were also present.
“There was another one at which Mkhize spoke, which the SABC recorded,” he said.
Court papers said he had spent about R122 000 hosting the ANC Razzmatazz Pre-election Campaign in April 2011. On September 2011, he spent about R135 000 on a tourism event for the premier’s office.
He also organised a press and media launch for the Getting to Zero Campaign and the Metro MF Heatwave at the Czar restaurant in Florida Road, at a cost of R326 000.
He had spent about R400 000 for a Rebirth of Life Concert on December 2011. He also parted with R170 000 for a Fashion by the Sea 2012 event at Moyo Pier.
He said Sibiya had told him he would have to send his bills to Chanti Travel Agents which would pay him. He said only three payments had been made by the travel agent.
Sibiya, who was reportedly suspended pending an investigation, said on Tuesday that the allegations were a smear campaign to damage his name.
“There is an attempt to vandalise my name by people who have career ambitions and hidden agendas.”
Ngwenya confirmed there was an investigation into the matter. He said they could not comment further while the probe was under way. He denied that anyone from the premier’s office had advised Dranias to approach Mkhize.
The Mercury