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WATCH: ‘You will get paid, no questions asked’ – Viv Reddy offers R5m to anyone who can prove he’s corrupt
Reddy is accused of paying legal fees for suspended KwaDukuza CFO Shamir Rajcoomar, among other claims.
Businessman Vivian Reddy. Picture: vivian_reddy_official/Instagram
In a bid to clear his name, wealthy businessman Vivian Reddy has offered to pay R5 million to anyone who can prove that he is complicit in corrupt activities in the KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM).
“It has come to my attention that there has been vile, malicious, fake allegations against me,” Reddy said in a video shared on social media pages of one of his shopping centres, KwaDukuza Mall.
The husband of Real Housewives Wives Of Durban cast member Sorisha Naidoo has allegedly been accused of paying legal fees for suspended KwaDukuza municipality chief financial officer (CFO) Shamir Rajcoomar, bribing certain councillors with amounts that reach R6 million each and also paying certain ANC members in the area.
Rajcoomar was placed on precautionary suspension in July last year amid queries about bank charges that KDM categorised as irregular and wasteful expenditure.
Rajcoomar’s suspension process is still ongoing amid legal challenges by his team that halted the hearing in September.
Sibusiso Chonguene was appointed the second acting CFO in February in a special council meeting. He took over from Mthandeni Nene, who acted in the role for six months after Rajcoomar’s suspension.
KDM is one of four municipalities under KwaZulu-Natal’s iLembe District Municipality. The other three are Mandeni, Maphumulo and Ndwedwe.
“These allegations are absolutely fake and I’m so determined to come to the bottom of its throat. I want to give an award to anyone that come up with proof that I’ve made any such payments,” averred Reddy in the video.
“You will be rewarded with R5 million and all you have to do, is go to the local police station, produce a signed affidavit of my involvement and giving proof of such involvement, and you will get paid no questions asked,” Reddy said.
ALSO READ: KwaDukuza Municipality names second interim CFO amid suspension dispute
KwaDukuza’s corruption
The multi-millionaire said these rumours emanate from ANC’s infighting in the area.
“I want no part of it, you’ve gotta fight your battles without wrongfully involving my name for your own benefit. The reality is that I’ve invested R550 million in KwaDukuza,” he said.
The KDM has been fraught with corruption allegations and political instability, which has affected service delivery for a number of years.
Last year, both the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters denied allegations that the former paid for EFF’s voting support in the KwaDukuza council.
The denial was in response to a viral voice note of a conversation between two apparent EFF members, which appeared to implicate several high ranking KDM officials in a payoff scandal.
It detailed R400 000 payments allegedly made using municipal funds to help KwaDukuza EFF members travel to the party’s national rally in Johannesburg on 30 July.
Additional reporting by Sboniso Dlamini and James Anderson
