DA demands answers to sports department’s R4 million booze-fuelled bash

The Democratic Alliance in KZN is demanding answers from Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube after KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture hosted a booze-fuelled bash to the tune of R4 million.

In a recent statement, DA KZN Spokesperson on Sports, Arts and Culture, Bradley Singh, said officials, staff, their families and guests were allegedly presented with alcohol vouchers of up to R6 000 each.

Singh said this just a few days after KwaZulu-Natal MEC for the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Amanda Bani-Mapena, resigned from her portfolio.

Singh said it is believed that the event is linked to Bani-Mapena’s untimely resignation.

The DA KZN Spokesperson on Sports said the function, which was hosted at a well-known Durban nightclub, was held under the guise of a so-called signature event – the Multi-Genre Music Festival and Festival of Beads, saying that it was allegedly funded by the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

“The DA is in possession of a video of the event, which clearly shows the Deputy Director General for KZN Sports, Arts, and Culture, Lindi Gwala – who was also the Acting Head of the Department at the time – having a good time with her staff while the department’s banner is seen in the background. To make matters worse, some staff who attended the event have claimed that they had to phone friends to come and help them consume up to R6 000 worth of alcohol each. The DA is stunned by this finding and has submitted a written parliamentary question to fully establish the facts,” he said, adding that the three-day event was supposed to empower previously disadvantaged groups and promote the development of SMMEs in creative and cultural heritage spaces.

Singh added: “The tactics adopted by the department are against the law and amount to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. It is actions such as this that have led to its failure to spend funds on deserving artists in the province. The DA expects Premier Dube-Ncube to act immediately and launch a full investigation. She must also ensure that those responsible are held to account and insist on the resignation of the department’s Acting Deputy Director-General.”

In the former MEC’s statement of her resignation, she said: “I wish to take this opportunity to inform the media and members of the public that today I am relinquishing my role as a deployed Member of the Executive Council who was entrusted with the Sport, Arts and Culture Portfolio. I wish to thank the ANC for affording me the opportunity and experience to use my skills to serve at that level of government. I also would like to thank the Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube under whose tutelage I have served. My plaudits also goes to all my colleagues in the Executive Council for their guidance and counsel. I have worked well with the senior management of the department led by the abled Acting Head of Department, Dr Fikile Ndlovu, and together we have achieved a lot in a short space of time following my arrival in the department 245 days ago. The ministry staff deserves some praise for their sterling work in ensuring that we render maximum support to the administration. The lessons drawn from this merger have helped catapult us into a better position as we prepare for the road ahead. We have taken it all in our stride and weather the fiercest of storms together as a collective as the Ministry, the Administration, Labour and our stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, it was also reported that Bani-Mapena also tried to resign as the member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature.
In a recent statement, the ANC in KZN said it politely accepts the resignation as the MEC and respectfully declined her resignation as the Member of the Provincial Legislature.

“The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal, as governing party, wishes to inform the general membership and people of this province that it has received a letter of resignation from the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture – Comrade Amanda Bani-Mapena. After consultations with her, officials and other key stakeholders, the ANC has politely accepted her resignation as the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture. However, the ANC has respectfully declined her resignation as the Member of the Provincial Legislature. We value her contribution since her deployment into this portfolio – especially in terms of championing programmes focusing on the promotion of our diversity and different cultures. In particular, we will remember her hard work during the entering of the Kraaal by His Majesty Isilo Samabandla Onke, King Misuzulu. In addition, she played a critical role during the co-ordination of the Coronation of His Majesty. During the coronation we demonstrated to the whole world that we are indeed proud sons and daughters of a united KwaZulu-Natal. We showed the world that we accept our diversity and that we respect different cultures and different religions and faiths. Comrade Amanda doubled her efforts towards ensuring that KZN maintains its spot as the host of national and international sporting events. Her hard work was based on the fact that she understood over the years, this province produced athletes and artists that are respected the world over,” read the statement.

The ANC added that it is confident that the Premier Dube-Ncube will ensure the deployment of a capable cadre that will build on the foundation that has been laid by Bani-Mapena and many other deployees of the ANC before her.

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