ActionSA in KwaZulu-Natal is seeking an investigation into the deputy city manager in eThekwini for allegedly committing to pay over R5-million for the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) elective conference.
The party says Sipho Cele should be taken to task for signing the agreement on behalf of the eThekwini Municipality, when the event was organised by the ANC women’s league.
It is alleged that the event name and order were fraudulently changed from the ANC to the municipality under the bogus “Women’s Month Launch”.
ActionSA’s Zwakele Mncwango said the ANC Women’s League elective conference was held at Durban ICC on August 4 at a cost of R5 089 781. But instead of the women’s league footing the bill, the city assumed responsibility.
“We are aware that the invoice was submitted to the city and that the deputy city manager, Sipho Cele’s signature appears on the contractual agreement between the municipality and the Durban ICC,” he said.
The allegations are contained in a letter Mncwango addressed to the head of the city’s integrity and investigation unit, Thulani Ntobela, dated September 28.
Mncwango said it had been frustrating to get the city and the ANC to account for the expenditure. This included requests for clarity from the eThekwini city manager Musa Mbhele, the municipal chief financial officer Sandile Mnguni, and the ANC provincial secretary Bheki Ntuli.
“Mbhele responded to our letter to him, confirming that the municipality will not pay for the ANCWL elective conference, nor is there a record of submission of this invoice in his office,” said Mncwango.
However, he said, Mbhele failed to confirm nor deny whether the city committed to settling the bill.
“[He] also failed to respond to a number of questions, leaving us to believe that he was withholding the truth or that he truly was not aware of the agreement, which we do not accept as true,” he said.
Mnguni allegedly failed to acknowledge the information after it was brought to his attention.
“We are bringing this matter to your attention due to our non-satisfaction with the responses or action, and lack thereof, from the accounting officer, and request that an urgent investigation be launched,” Mncwango told Ntobela.
He suggested that the terms of reference for the investigation include the circumstances under which Cele signed the agreement with the ICC to cover costs for the ANCWL; who gave Cele the go-ahead to sign the document; and whether besides Cele, were there other city officials or leaders who participated in the act of corruption?
He also questioned what happened after the municipality received an invoice from the ICC, whether there were any criminal charges against those implicated in this corruption, and what laws had been violated.
Mncwango said the 30-day period for invoice payment to the ICC had lapsed; therefore, it needs to be indicated who paid the final invoice of R4.7-million.
He said there must be transparency regarding the person or entity who ultimately paid the invoice, their relationship with the municipality, and whether or not the municipality had recently transferred R4.7-million into the person’s or entity’s account(s).
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