Johannesburg - The DA-led city council running Johannesburg has irregularly paid over R 11 million to a non-governmental organisation with links to mayor Herman Mashaba, the ruling African National Congress said on Tuesday.
The ANC said Mashaba, who was chairperson of the Field Band Foundation (FBF) for over 16 years, had engaged the NGO to provide services to the municipality.
"Mayor Mashaba initiated funding for the FBF without any written proposal sent to the city by the foundation," the ANC said.
It said the mayoral committee last September approved funding of R 11.1 million "adjusted" in respect of inflation to the FBF over the life of the project. The FBF had initially submitted a proposal for R10.5 million over a 3 year period, said the ANC.
"Mayor Mashaba used his power and influence to coerce the city of Johannesburg to give the Field Band Foundation a grant of R11.1 million, a case of conflict of interest," it said.
"We will not sit idle when Mayor Mashaba uses his position to coerce MMC’s (members of the mayoral council) and staff to take decisions to fund a pet project he has been associated with for over 16 years."
The ANC said it had submitted relevant documents to graft watchdog, the Public Protector and would ask the speaker of council to refer the matter to the its ethics committee.