PRESSURE is mounting on the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality to probe the alleged R5.1 million invoice for the use of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) for an ANC Women’s League provincial conference.
ActionSA this week asked the newly appointed head of city integrity and investigation unit Thulani Ntobela to urgently launch an investigation into the matter of the payment of the money for the ANCWL provincial conference held early in August at the ICC in Durban after receiving a tip-off from a whistle-blower.
”We are aware that in a signed agreement between the parties, the City committed to pay a bill of R5 089 781.40 of public funds towards ANCWL elective conference, which took place on the 4th to the 8th August 2023, of which the final invoice later came to a total of R4 794 824.21,” reads a letter from ActionSA KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango.
According to the party, eThekwini city manager Musa Mbhele has confirmed that the municipality will not pay for the ANCWL provincial conference and that there is no record of submission of such an invoice to his office.
Mncwango said Mbhele failed to confirm or deny whether there was a commitment from the municipality to settle the bill and to respond to a number of questions, leaving ActionSA to believe that he was withholding the truth or he truly was not aware of the agreement, which the party does not accept as true.
”We are aware that the invoice was submitted to the city, and that deputy city manager Sipho Cele’s signature appears on the contractual agreement between the municipality and the Durban ICC,” he insisted.
A total of 1 350 guests were paid for including ANCWL voting and non-voting delegates, according to ActionSA.
The Xubera Institute has written to Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC chairperson Glen Mashinini demanding that he also intervenes as eThekwini residents have an ethical and moral expectation from him and as his fellow board members of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC.
In response on Mashinini’s behalf, Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC company secretary Yashmeka Parbhoo informed the Xubera Institute’s Xolani Dube that Mashinini advised that the contents of his letter were noted and that he considered the matter to be operational.
”Accordingly, and in line with governance protocols, the CEO of the entity (Lindiwe Rakharebe) shall revert on the attached,” stated Parbhoo’s letter.
In her response, Rakharebe only confirmed that the Durban ICC was used for an ANCWL elective conference.
”In terms of the Durban ICC’s policies, procedures and governance processes, the Durban ICC is unable to divulge confidential information as between itself and any user of its facilities,” reads the letter sent on September 29.
Mashinini this week said the Durban ICC board he chairs has unambiguously pronounced its position on the matter, which it considers to be operational in nature and that all correspondence must be referred to Rakharebe.
“The board, in terms of its governance protocols, maintains an arm’s length relationship with the accounting officer and the administration as a whole.
“As you may be aware, the matter is receiving attention via the shareholder’s city integrity and investigations unit. Respectfully, the board awaits the outcome of the investigation by the city integrity and investigations unit in this matter,” Mashinini added.