KUBATSHAZWA UKUMOSWA KWEZIGIDI ABANTU BELAMBILE
ICHAZWE njengeqembu elinesibindi esinengingila eceleni i-African National Congress (ANC) njengoba ifuna kwengezwe ngo-R12.8 million ku-R67 million obusuvele uhlinzekelwe i-Essence Festival ezokuba zingama-26 kuMandulo (September) kuya lulunye ku-Mfumfu (October) eNkosi Albert Luthuli - International Convention Centre (ICC), eThekwini.
UMnu Zwakele Mncwango ongumholi weDemocratic Alliance (DA) KwaZulu-Natal, utshele ILANGA ukuthi i-ANC kayinamahloni okufuna kuthasiselwe ngale mali phezu kwalesi sigaxa esesivele sikhishiwe. Uthi besingekho isidingo sokuba kukhishwe u-R12.8 million ngaphezulu ngoba kucacile ukuthi le mali iyodliwa ngasese.
“Amaqembu ezepolitiki aphikisayo azamile ukuphikisana nokuba kunezelwe imali kulo mcimbi kodwa akhale ngaphansi njengoba edliwe yivoti le-ANC. Kangiqondi ukuthi kungani kumoshwe imali engaka kulo mcimbi.
“Yini le encengiwe kubantu baseNew Orleans (e-United States of America -USA) ukuthi sekungaze kumoshwe imali engaka? I-Essence Festival yindlela yokukhipha imali ukuze abantu bezokwazi ukudla ngayo. Into ebuhlungu ngalokho wukuthi kakwaziwa ukuthi yenziwani imali uma isiphumile.
“Kasinaso isiqiniseko sokuthi abantu bayakhokhelwa yini. Kubuhlungu ngoba kumoshwa imali yabakhokhi bentela ngalo mcimbi. Kusuka abantu e-USA beza kulo mcimbi bakhokhelwe ngayo imali yentela,” kusho uMnu Mncwango.
Utshele leli phephandaba ukuthi kabukho ubuholi kwi-ANC, yingakho abantu bezenzela umathanda. Uthi iMeya yeTheku, uNkk Zandile Gumede, kayiyiboni inkinga ngokudliwa budlabha kwemali yabakhokhi bentela.
Utshele ILANGA ukuthi ngoko- cwangingo olwenziwe ngabeStatistics South Africa, kuvela ukuthi iKwaZulu-Natal inabantu abaningi ababhuqwa wububha kodwa uMasipala weTheku ukwazi ukuchitha imali emcimbini ongathi shu.
“Imali emoshwa kulo mcimbi ingaguqula impilo yabantu abaningi abahluphekile. Ngikhuluma nje, intsha ingene shi ezidamakamizweni njengoba isize yaphenduka yaba ngamaphara.
“Le mali echithwa kulo mcimbi ngabe yenze okuthile ukusiza lezi zingane,” kusho uMnu Mncwango. Uthi kusobala ukuthi abaholi kababacabangeli abantu abahluphekayo, banendaba nezisu zabo kuphe- la. UMnu Phillip Sithole oyisekela lemenenja kuMasipala weTheku, uthi kuyiqiniso ukuthi ikhona imali ewu-R12.8 million ekhishiwe. Utshele ILANGA ukuthi i-Essence Festival ixhaswe wuMasipala we-Theku.
“Imali ewu-R12.8 million ngeyokukhokhela ezinye izinhlelo zalo mcimbi. Ngicela ukuqondisa ukuthi u-R67 million kakusiwona oweEssence Festival kodwa ngowezinhlelo ezenziwa wumasipala okuyiBusiness Fair, umculo, uhlelo lokuhlomulisa abesifazane nokunye. Lezi zinhlelo zikamasipala zingaqhubeka noma kuthiwa i-Essence Festival kayikho,” kusho uMnu Sithole.