Who is to fund all these joyrides?

LYDENBURG – There seems to be confusion regarding who should be held accountable for the ‘joy ride’ to the live Idols show the past week.

While the acting municipal manager of Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM), Mr Godfrey Nkosi remains adamant that it was budgeted for, the acting CFO said that it was an unauthorised transaction.

Nkosi reacted to the article published in last week’s edition of Steelburger/Lydenburg News regarding the transportation of several supporters to the live Idols show in which a local artist, Brendan Ledwaba from Graskop, was one of the finalists.“It was budgeted for as the activity of the mayor. It was within the limit of our budget. All supply-chain processes were followed and it was recommended and authorised. Therefore, this does not qualify as fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The mayor and residents of TCM supported Brenden. This young man has put the municipality on the map; even the mayor and councillors were on television with him (sic).”

He also slammed allegations that another four buses travelled to the show this past week. “It is not true. The supporters went by themselves. He is from TCM and we should support him. It is the first time that two contestants from Mpumalanga are participating in the show. Why can’t we have the local newspaper covering him? He brought the camera team to our area and showed off the beauty of TCM.”

Reacting to the said R24 000 it cost TCM for transport, Nkosi said that by advertising the municipality over the television, there cannot be a comparison.

“It costs hundreds of thousands of rand to advertise on television. He featured TCM on air.”

Nkosi also said that a big welcome-back party should be planned for Ledwaba. “We have to thank him for what he achieved. We must celebrate our heroes and sport stars.”

On Tuesday, another two buses pulled up to TCM to ferry supporters to Pretoria for the finals. Fans gathered and were delighted to be photographed wearing their Brendan supporter T-shirts.

According to Mr Leon de Jager, chairperson of Afriforum Lydenburg, TCM seem to be as blasé as ever when it comes to spending the taxpayers’ money. “On November 15 the municipality arranged two buses from Buscor at a cost of R24 000 to transport supporters to the Idols show. To quote the chairman of the ANC Youth league, ‘A bus to Pretoria was hired for officials and community members to go and support Brenden’. In fact, two buses were hired, so the residents of TCM ended up paying so that the officials could have a jol in the city! The very same residents who are being told that TCM does not even have the money to replace one broken prepaid meter so that someone can have electricity in his house again. But wait, the story gets even better. To add insult to injury, in last week’s newspaper, Nkosi stated that these expenses were all above board, approved and funded from the mayor’s budget. Yet the acting CFO, Mr Tumelo Ratua stated in an email to me on November 21 that ‘the transaction was unauthorised, we are investigating the matter – no payment has been made yet’. So Nkosi, we have a serious problem – who do we believe? You or the CFO? This did actually happen on your watch.”

The paper contacted the acting CFO. Ratau confirmed that there is a budget in the mayoral office for social responsibilities and if the municipality is in a sound financial state, money could be drawn from that budget. Questioned whether the municipality is indeed in a sound financial state for such an expense, Ratau said, “Looking at the amount of R24 000, senior management did not authorise this expense. It was authorised by a junior. The municipality will, however, investigate the matter and take the necessary steps.”