The eThekwini metro has been hauled over the coals for allegedly sponsoring EFF’s 10th anniversary rally held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg last weekend.
The DA accuses the ANC-run council of donating municipal buses to ferry EFF supporters from KwaZulu-Natal to Johannesburg.
The EFF supporters were left in the lurch after the party’s top brass failed to acquire the required number of buses.
“The DA in eThekwini has written to acting city manager Thami Manyathi to request an urgent investigation and response into allegations that the EFF utilized municipal buses to transport supporters from uMtubatuba, Pongola, and Vryheid to the FNB Stadium for the EFF’s 10-year celebration,” said Thabani Mthethwa, DA caucus leader in the metro.
“If these claims are true, it would mean eThekwini ratepayers paid for the transportation of EFF members.”
The EFF filled the 90 000-calabash stadium to the capacity. It also used the event to launch its 2024 general elections campaign.
Leading up to the rally, it emerged that the party had sanctioned senior officials who failed to organise and pay for buses to transport supporters to the rally.
These include members of the national assembly, provincial legislatures and councillors.
Mthethwa wrote in a letter: “The DA wants to know if indeed the municipal buses were utilised to transport EFF members across the province.
“Furthermore, we want to know if these were paid for by the EFF, because the allegations are such that the buses were given to the EFF free of charge.
“We therefore ask that this be investigated by your office and a report made public.”
The ANC is in charge in eThekwini courtesy of the red berets who bandied together with smaller parties to support the governing party.
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