The KwaZulu-Natal department of sport, arts and culture has again found itself under scrutiny for allegedly embarking on a looting frenzy that led to millions of rands being unaccounted for.
Sunday World understands that the DA top brass in the province met with representatives from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Wednesday to hand over a dossier that pushes for the agency to investigate.
Among the matters raised is R4-million allegedly paid to former Ukhozi FM presenter Linda Sibiya in 2017 for an event that did not see the light of day despite millions of rands having been paid.
At the time, Linda Sibiya was a staunch member of the ANC. He has since dumped the governing party to join the EFF.
The revelation of wasted money was announced a few days after Sibiya joined the red berets in October.
Formal request made to SIU
“The DA has made a formal request to the Special Investigating Unit to probe the three separate issues of alleged corruption within the KwaZulu-Natal’s department of sport, arts and culture, said Bradley Singh, the DA’s spokesperson on arts and culture.
“The department of sport, arts and culture’s history is littered with claims of corruption. In 2022, the DA laid complaints against the department with the SIU.
“We have now received confirmation that those investigations are awaiting final proclamation from the president’s office in order to proceed.”
Another matter which is expected to be investigated by the SIU includes the so-called booze party, where the department allegedly blew R7-million on alcohol during the tenure of former sport, arts and culture MEC Amanda Bani-Mapena.
Bani-Mapena held the position from August 2022 until her resignation in April 2023.
The so-called booze party was held under the guise of Beads Multi Genre Festival, but it apparently turned into a feasting frenzy where guests and family members were treated to expensive alcohol with the department footing the expensive bill.
