MEMBERS of the Office of the Premier portfolio committee are demanding that a forensic investigation be conducted into the delays in building the monument to commemorate the arrival of indentured Indian labourers to South Africa.
The monument proposed almost a decade ago has yet to get off the ground despite millions of rand being budgeted for it.
DA MPL Francois Rodgers told members of the portfolio committee this week that the party wanted a forensic investigation to be instituted into the expenditure and to ascertain the progress made.
He said the Office of the Premier had budgeted almost R5 million for the project, and funds were transferred to eThekwini municipality in 2014.
Rodgers said the portfolio committee had heard that R384 000 had been spent.
“The decision to construct the monument was taken 10 years ago yet, to date, there is no visible sign of any such memorial. The DA has proposed that a forensic audit be conducted,” he said.
IFP MPL Blessed Gwala also called for a forensic audit and said the party wanted to know what had happened to the money.
“About R400 000 has already been used and we want to know for what?,” said Gwala.
Office of the Premier spokesperson Thami Ngidi said the proposal for a forensic audit was the view of political parties, which had the right to express themselves.
eThekwini Municipality’s head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa, said R4.8m had been allocated for the construction of the monument.
“Part of this amount was used to pay the artists who have submitted their designs.
"The delay was caused by disagreements over the initial designs presented. Some community members did not feel that they accurately captured the essence of the indenture.
“As a result, the project had to be handed back to the Bid Adjudication Committee for authority to change course.”
Mthethwa said the construction of the monument would begin once all processes had been completed.