Busses for Idols show labelled as a fruitless expense

LYDENBURG – Several busses ferrying supporters to the live Idols show have been labelled as being a fruitless expense and a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Last week busses full of avid Brenden Ledwaba supporters travelled to the show to apparently give some local support to the singer from Graskop.

The entity responsible for this outing? Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM).

DA Cllr Ferhat Essack said he was despondent and could still not fathom how, after all that had transpired at Thaba Chweu Municipality, they could still spend hard-earned taxpayers’ money on luxuries such as hiring busses to transport supporters to the Idols show. “It is about time that leaders in TCM apply a concience and use business principles to run this municipality.

This is more proof that TCM will never see the so-called turnaround strategy and a better future. This is yet another perfect example of wasteful expenditure at the taxpayers’ expense. Should the argument be that this was budgeted for on the mayor’s expense account it should be noted that these monies could have been expended rather on the poor and indigent who are starving and homeless.”

The newspaper sent queries to the acting municipal manager, Mr Gilbert Nkosi asking if this indeed could be seen as a fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

Not so, said Nkosi. “It was budgeted for as the activity of the mayor. It was within the limitations of our budget. All supply chain processes were followed and it was recommended and authorised be all the responsible individuals.

Therefore this does not qualify as fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The mayor and residents of Thaba Chweu currently support Brenden to win the competition. This young man has put Thaba Chweu on the map – even the mayor and councillors were on television with him.”

It is said that another four busses will this again this weekend make their way to the Idols show for the final in which Ledwaba will be competing against Musa Sukweni.