The fight between Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) after it accused it of misusing R100 million.
According to the statement which the party released on Friday, the MK Party want answrs on what happened to the R100 million loan which the municiplity took from Absa.
“The party is appalled, yet unsurprised, by the latest corruption revelations in Zululand Municipality. This is a district with a notorious documented history of corruption, financial mismanagement by the IFP spanning close to a decade now,” said MK Party Media Officer Shirley Willemse.
Willemse said in 2018-2020 allegations against IFP leadership included a R1.5 million bribe, inflated water tanker contracts which was R30million but they inflated it to R56million and a R32 million security tender for a R15 million contract.
She added that in 2022, a forensic report found evidence of corruption, but was set aside by a court, sparking clashes between the provincial government and the IFP.
Millemse further said in May 2024, allegations of over R500 million in corruption, including R240 million on security for the mayor and R300 million in irregular expenditure emerged.
“The IFP’s track record on corruption makes your hair stand on edge, with allegations of wrongdoing in municipalities they lead. Reports of financial mismanagement, irregular tenders, and abuse of power are a legacy of the FP across all municipality they run in KZN.
“The Zululand District Municipality has been reduced to a cash cow for the IFP, with corruption and looting running rampant. Meanwhile, the community suffers from a severe lack of basic services, with essentials like water, sanitation, and roads in short supply.You become at loss of words when you hear the horror stories of how the municipality lost R32-million in unlawful and illegal withdrawals from its bank account,” she said.
Willemse further said: “Now theres a question of R100 million loan from Absa that was supposed to for procuring backup generators for water plants but the bulk of the money went elsewhere and this is according to the recent findings of the Auditor General report.
“COGTA is complicit in this, they sit and dwiddle they thumbs and do nothing. In 2022 court ruling set aside a report on corruption at Zululand District Municipality, citing procedural unfairness and ultra vires actions by the MEC. The investigation, which cost R6 million, was deemed unlawful, and the MEC’s refusal to comply with the KZN Commissions Act was also found to be unlawful.”