The ANC-run KwaDukuza local municipality is embroiled in a fresh funding controversy after its council approved a sponsorship of R350 000 for a Durban July event outside its municipal boundaries while standing to derive no value from the sponsorship.
The decision to sponsor the event, dubbed the Durban July Ballito July Experience and billed for July 6, courted more controversy after it emerged that the event has already notched a separate funding of R5-million.
The million-rands funding came from the national Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, and it was approved in March, while the KwaDukuza municipality approved its sponsorship early this week.
Wasteful allocation of funds
The DA in the council slammed the R350 000 funding, saying it was not well thought of by the council that approved it.
“This decision, steamrolled through council on Tuesday, is nothing short of an insult to the people of KwaDukuza,” said councillor Privi Makhan, the DA’s caucus leader in the council.
“The event is set to be hosted in Westbrook, which is in the eThekwini municipality, meaning that KwaDukuza ratepayers are now being forced to bankroll tourism and economic activity in a neighbouring municipality while our own local economy, tourism sector, and communities are left behind.
“The DA opposed this wasteful and nonsensical allocation of public funds. This is not governance; it’s patronage.”
Sunday World later obtained the information about the R5-million funding that is contained in a letter dated March 3 and signed off by Dr Stella Khumalo, the acting director-general in the department.
Facebook page confirms funding
In the letter, Khumalo confirmed to an official only identified as Mr Mazibuko from Enterprise Ilembe that the department would pump in R5-million into the event.
“The national Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is pleased to confirm the support as per the formal request towards the Ballito July Experience through the Enterprise Ilembe Economic Development Agency of the Ilembe district municipality from March to July 2025.
“The department commits support as outlined below: R5 000 000 for partial funding; the funds will be paid in three tranches, and the tranches will be 50%, 40%, and 10%.
“Approval is for the financial year 2024-2025, and it is subject to providing compliance documents to the department,” reads the letter from the department.
Enterprise Ilembe’s official Facebook page confirms the department’s funding of the event.
When asked if it was aware that the event had already been sponsored with R5-million before the municipality approved the controversial additional funding, the KwaDukuza municipality did not reply.
Mazibuko did not respond when the Sunday World asked in what capacity Enterprise Ilembe requested funding for the event from the department.
