KwaDukuza mayor denies EFF payoff scandal

The African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have denied allegations that the former paid for EFF voting support in the KwaDukuza Council.

This comes in response to a widely shared voice note of a conversation between two apparent EFF members which appeared to implicate several high ranking KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM) officials in a payoff scandal.

It detailed a R400 000 payment allegedly made using municipal funds to help KwaDukuza EFF members travel to the party’s national rally in Johannesburg on July 30.

The recording was clearly motivated by frustration that the member to whom the money was allegedly paid had stolen it to buy a new vehicle, leaving party members with no transport to the rally.

Municipal sources allege the money was a partial payback for KDM’s four EFF councillors to vote with the ruling party in suspending former municipal chief financial officer Shamir Rajcoomar last month.

The sources indicated that the in-committee vote to suspend Rajcoomar was 25-20, with the majority made up of 20 ANC councillors, four EFF councillors and one single-seat party councillor.

The Democratic Alliance, ActionSA, Independent Alliance, one of four Inkatha Freedom Party councillors and one single-seat party councillor voted against the motion.

In a statement last week, KDM mayor Lindile Nhaca rubbished the content of the voice note and called allegations a “witch-hunt” and a “desperate ploy to tarnish the reputation of the ANC led government.”

“This is a well-orchestrated political ploy which seeks to undermine our integrity and industrious track record of fighting corruption and serves as a frivolous entry-point to advance reputational damages to the ANC government and its leaders ahead of the 2024 elections. I therefore wish to dismiss without reservations, the humiliating and foolish attack against my reputation, the chief operating officer (COO) and that of the accounting officer,” said Nhaca.

She called on anyone with proof of the payments to come forward so that it could be investigated properly.

The voice note did not mention the mayor by name, but rather cited the municipal manager (by title, not name) and COO, Mandla Manzini.

Separate to the voice note, a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation between Manzini and an EFF member appeared to implicate him further.

‘But we gave EFF more than R500 000,’ reads the message.

Responding on behalf of Manzini, KDM spokesperson Sphelelo Ngobese said the message had been taken out of context. He said that Manzini was making a sarcastic comment to the EFF member after the voice note with Manzini’s name had been circulated.

“As a matter of fact, the EFF leader was surprised to learn of these allegations,” he said, adding that they were ‘fake news’.

“Why am I being implicated with the EFF matter as one of its funders since it is public knowledge that I am a staunch member of the ANC in good standing since its unbanning. Before that, I was an activist of the UDF,” Manzini himself said.

Provincial EFF chairperson Mongezi Twala said they had seen no evidence to confirm the allegations but that an internal investigation was ongoing.

He said the matter was brought to his attention before the Johannesburg rally had happened and that he instructed regional members to declare if any payment had been made.

“We cannot allow the EFF’s name to be tarnished by such accusations. If there is evidence, we will act against those involved. But for now, we take this as baseless accusations,” said Twala.

He also cited the fact that there is no official agreement between the ANC and EFF in KwaDukuza, although there is one in neighboring Maphumulo.

“Even there, our agreement is that we take services to the people, no dodgy dealings. We never asked anyone to go and fundraise for transport and we will not allow people to use the EFF for self-enrichment, but all that will depend on the evidence brought forward,” he said.

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