City of Durban bypasses council to approve R200 000 funeral

Durban councillors got into a heated discussion when it was revealed that the city spent R200 000 on a funeral without executive council approval.

According to a report presented to exco on Tuesday, the city spent R200 000 on the funeral of the late councillor Bhekithemba Phungula who died after being gunned down at his Umlazi home last month (23 June).

The report shows that the city had bypassed exco approval by invoking Rule of Order 28 (1)(b) of the city’s bylaws.

Rule of Order 28(1)(b) states that in cases of “recess and emergencies”, power is delegated to the Municipal Manager to incur expenditures without council approval subject to the mayor’s approval.

On 29 June, Acting City Manager, Sipho Cele, wrote to Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda seeking approval for Phungula to be accorded a civic funeral due to his service as a councillor for nine years.

“In terms of the eThekwini Municipal Council’s calendar of meetings, the next exco meeting is scheduled for 21 July 2020, and it won’t be possible to obtain timeous approval, since the funeral is scheduled for the upcoming weekend of 3-5 July 2020,” wrote Cele.

On the same day, Kaunda signed the letter granting approval.

On 3 July, Deputy Head at the Speaker’s Office, Belinda Mhlongo, wrote a signed letter to Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, requesting authority to grant payment for Phungula’s gravesite and the waiving of a R47 000 10-year lease at Stellawood Cemeteries.

Berea Mail called Stellawood Cemetery for a quotation and we were told a 10-year lease costs R1103.

Nicole Graham, Democratic Alliance eThekwini caucus leader, said the premise of invoking Rule of Order 28 was flawed since council was not in recess and could have met for an emergency meeting.

Kaunda insisted that the funeral was a matter of emergency.

“Funerals are currently limited to 50 people. How does a 50 person funeral cost R200 000?” said Graham in a statement.

“The reality of the eThekwini Municipality’s lockdown response is that everyone has had to take a hit (except) the ANC elite and those associated with them.”