By Celani Sikhakhane
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal is reporting the alleged R28 million funding of the South African Music Awards (Sama) ceremony to the Hawks.
The outcry comes as the provincial government is already in financial crisis, with a shortfall of R45 billion.
Last week, ActionSA in KZN revealed that only R8 million was needed for the awards.
The party has since written to the oversight committee chairperson Edtea Nhlakanipho Ntombela and MEC Siboniso Duma of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), seeking clarity on how exactly they plan to spend R28 million on an R8 million event.
DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers told a media conference in Durban that they have relevant documents that will assist the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in instituting its investigation over the matter.
Rodgers revealed another allegation brought to the attention of the SIU — the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environment Affairs allegedly paid a certain service provider for an event that never took place.
According to the DA, some funds have been taken from the Vula programme which was created to assist young people to fund their businesses in the province.
Rodgers claims that several whistleblowers within the department have helped them with explosive documents about the corruption that is taking place in the department, which is led by Duma.
He said a senior official in the ministry used taxpayers’ money to buy a luxury car for his girlfriend.
“There are allegations that EDTEA and some entities are barely functioning due to money being syphoned by high-ranking senior officials for their personal use. The department has been described as a ticking time bomb that will soon be brought to its knees.”
There have been “millions of rands syphoned from departmental programmes and spent on personal luxury items and entertainment,” said Rodgers.
Rodgers stated that while the DA acknowledges that the information received is based on allegations, the contents are staggering and warrant intense scrutiny by the SIU.
Rodgers said that the request for investigation comes as a result of their close ties with the MEC and, in some cases, allegedly without due process being followed.
Other claims of fraud and corruption also extend to Tourism KZN with allegations that the Acting CEO was suspended to make way for others to continue syphoning funds from the entity.
Duma’s spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya could not be reached for comments.
Pictured above: DA leaders briefing the media on allegations of fraud and corruption in the Economic Development Department.
Image source: Supplied
