The EFF in Free State has tabled a motion of no confidence in Premier Mxolisi Dukwana “for financial misconduct after failing to oversee” over R3.4-million spent towards the funeral service of the late education MEC Tate Makgoe.
The red beret brigade have tabled the motion of no confidence in the office of the secretary of the Free State legislature, Joseph Machaka.
In the motion papers, which we have seen, EFF provincial chairperson Mapheule “Coach” Liphoko stated that the tender for Makgoe’s funeral was awarded to the controversial Free State event management company, C-Squared, where the staggering amount of R3.462-million was splurged on memorial services held across the province and the burial service.
“The province’s taxpayers coughed up R3.462-million for the former MEC’s send-off and the Hon. Premier [Dukwana] stood up in this very house and attested to the spending. This attestation came about as a result of the question from the Democratic Alliance and the Free State Legislature Internal Question Paper bears reference to that effect,” read the motion papers.
In a written reply to the DA regarding the costs of Makgoe’s funeral, Dukwana said the provincial government had paid R693 892 for the memorial service, which was held at the University of Free State on March 10.
He said more than R97 000 had been spent on finger food for Makgoe’s family and government dignitaries, R70 000 on décor, R6 000 on red carpet and R24 000 for chair covers. However Liphoko painted a different picture when breaking down the costs.
Liphoko said R1 288 500 was spent on catering, R355 000 for entertainment, R59 000 for flowers and R130 900 for a casket and a burial.
Liphoko added that R96 876 was spent on accreditation services, R95 000 for sound equipment, along with a host of other items such as tables, plastic chairs, red carpets, small tabled for water and groceries.
He added that the provincial government also paid close to half a million for what it termed “MEC infrastructure/lunch” in which the costs covered activities that took place at Makgoe’s house from the time of his untimely death on March 5 this year.
He also said R31 000 was spent on hiring a marquee, R34 280 on generator, R136 500 on food and R66 000 for executive chairs.
Liphoko said that the bill for the day of the actual funeral was close to R2-million, and this excluded the cost of the funeral parlour and graveyard, which cost the government R417 324.
He said that the amount paid for Makgoe’s mortuary fee was more than R39 000, R84 900 for casket, R95 000 for tombstone and R59 000 for red roses and R46 000 for a burial plot.
According to EFF, R643 500 was also spent for lunch of 3 000 mourners, while three gospel artists were paid R75 000 each.
“The premier has failed in his constitutionally mandated duties as the executive authority of Free State. The premier’s actions borders on ethical misconduct as the head of the province.
“The premier failed in his executive authority to rein in over his accounting officers, thus allowing them to contravene section 38 of the PMFA. The premier is not fit to preside over our province and its departmental budgets,” said Liphoko .
Dukwana’s spokesperson Sello Dithebe said: “The premier on his office table, there is no so called a motion of no confidence. The legislature is in recess, and it will only resume its work in September.
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