R100k table with Cyril causes stir

ANC secretary’s appeal to mayors raises eyebrows

AN ATTEMPT by the ANC to persuade Eastern Cape mayors to buy and sell tickets to ANC presidential hopeful Cyril Ramaphosa’s gala dinner tonight for R100 000 for a “bronze” status table has caused a stir.

A November 20 letter penned by newly elected Eastern Cape ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi raised hackles among ANC members and the public on the eve of the vital provincial general council (PGC) which saw 600 ANC branch delegates arrive in Buffalo City yesterday.

In the letter, Ngcukayithobi sets a top ticket price for mayors to sell to friends at R3 571.

Mayors are expected to sell the tickets in batches of 10.

Ngcukayithobi wrote: “This communique serves to invite you to join the ANC Deputy President, Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, at our fundraising dinner that is scheduled to be on the December 1 2017, at the East London ICC at 6pm.

“We request that you buy a bronze table with the price of R100 000 for 28 seats,” wrote Ngcukayithobi.

The secretary said he stood by his controversial letter.

Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the keynote address at the PGC.

The letter surfaced on social media on Wednesday evening, sending shockwaves among party members and other users.

Some argued that Ngcukayithobi was encouraging mayors to use municipal funds meant for service delivery to purchase tickets for a ruling-party fundraiser.

Amathole ANC member Sandile Puti said: “There are two things involved here. The letter is structured to the extent that it is easy to conclude that it’s asking R100 000 from each mayor’s municipality.

“The letter comes against the backdrop of a statement that spoke strongly against ANC deployees tapping into the public purse for their own party political factional ends.”

In the letter, dated November 20, Ngcukayithobi wrote to all ANC mayors asking them to raise funds of R100 000.

Ngcukayithobi said yesterday the ANC had invited many people including the mayors, and all those who were invited were expected to buy tickets, including the mayors.

He said they expected the mayors to sell the tickets to their colleagues.

“The ANC has written to many people and issued public notices about the fundraising.

“So mayors, like any other person, are invited and are sold tickets for 10 people per table. So they are expected to sell the table to their colleagues for a cumulative amount,” said Ngcukayithobi.