EMLM denies DA payment claim

THE Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) has denied a claim by the DA that the acting municipal manager Siyabonga Nkonki, acting on information supplied by the party, had managed to halt an illegal payment for accommodation for ANC councillors.

In a media statement, EMLM DA councillor Malibongwe Xhelisilo said this week that Nkonki had instructed the finance office to cancel a payment for the accommodation of ANC members due to attend an ANC cadres forum in Mdantsane on Sunday.

“According to the official record, the CFO [chief financial officer] granted the accommodation payment on the understanding that the said councillors were due to write an exam the following day.”

Xhelisilo said he had sent Nkonki an SMS on Saturday night, indicating the payment was for councillors to attend a political event on Sunday and that the municipality could not be liable for political events.

“In the acting MM’s reply to my SMS, he indicated that he would instruct the CFO to immediately cancel the booking. Indeed the booking was cancelled, saving our municipality R15000, money that can now be used for much-needed infrastructure and service delivery in our municipality,” Xhelisilo said.

EMLM spokesman Fundile Feketshane denied this claim, saying that available information indicated that the councillors had been booked to attend classes at Fort Hare University between July 10 and 14.

“We are not aware of any perceived payment that was supposed to fund an ANC event. Our municipality exercises due care and caution with regard to decisions it takes including the financial management decision. It is our considered view that our municipality is responsible enough and forthwith acknowledged it fiduciary duties and cannot fund political events of a certain political party.”