Forensic investigation into NFP finances

THE once promising NFP is coming apart at the seams, with creditors at its doors, constituency offices rentals not paid and employees without wages for months.

So say some of the party’s leaders as they point a finger at former leaders in charge of the NFP’s finances in Parliament.

Money woes have led to the suspension of two MPs, Maliyakhe Shelembe and Sicelo Mabika, after it was claimed they had failed to co-operate with a forensic probe into the party’s finances.

They now face being interdicted from entering party offices in Parliament, and more MPs are to be interviewed by the forensic investigators.

The Daily News reported last Tuesday about the suspension of Mabika and Shelembe – who have denied the claims and threatened to fight to the bitter end.

Yesterday, acting national chairman, Bheki Gumbi, said the party’s finances were in disarray.

“The rents for the constituency offices have not been paid. The staff at constituency offices have also not been paid.

“On August 2 one of the creditors was due to take us to court in an attempt to seek a default judgment against the party, but the interim leadership acted to stop the party being liquidated,” Gumbi said.

He said three months’ staff salaries and rentals for NFP constituency offices had not been paid.

“We suspected there was something fishy. Then we learnt that about 10 of our constituency offices in Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Free State and KZN have unpaid rent.

“Staff also wrote letters to complain they were not being paid,” Gumbi said.

He said they found out about the party’s finances about three weeks ago.

Munzoor Shaik-Emam, secretary of the NFP caucus in Parliament, claimed Shelembe and Mabika had tried to obstruct the forensic investigation.

Interdict

“Our attorneys have written to them to give them 24-hour notice. Should they persist, we will bring an interdict,” he said.

Shaik-Emam also said the interdict was to ensure the pair did not interfere or obstruct the forensic investigation.

The secretary said the party hoped to press disciplinary charges against the pair after they allegedly breached the terms of their suspensions.

He added that former secretary-general Nhlanhla Khubisa and Sifiso Mncwabe were expected to be interviewed by the investigators this week.

“When forensic investigators wanted to speak to them, unfortunately they were not available. They have requested to set up an appointment in Cape Town with Khubisa, Mnc- wabe and staff,” the secretary said, adding that financials would be submitted to Parliament tomorrow.

Although admitting it should have been his responsibility to oversee payments from the caucus fund, Shaik-Emam said: “This is negligence. It should not take months to submit them.”

But Shelembe said rent and staff were not paid because financials were not submitted on time because of the elections.

“It is not because of anything else. It is money that should have been paid in July,” he said, adding that the matter was clouded by the failure of the party to register for elections.

Shelembe also said advance payments had been made to landlords for the party offices, but there was a smear campaign against him and Mabika and there were efforts by some to take their parliamentary seats. He said they did not recognise the leaders calling the shots in the NFP and questioned their appointment of forensic investigators.

“We don’t respect their suspension letters. They come from people who lack authority,” Shelembe said.

Mabika could not be reached for comment yesterday.