Sizani denies involvement in wife receiving contract
ANC Chris Hani regional chair and Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) executive mayor Lusanda Sizani has called the recent concerns by some ANC members on the appointment of his wife’s company to operate the newly opened Queen Nonesi Cultural Village in Cacadu, “nonsense”.
The Rep followed up on social media and phone call allegations that Sizani had influenced the appointment of his wife’s company to operate the Queen Nonesi Cultural Village.
According to sources within the ruling party, the process started when Sizani was ANC regional secretary.
“As the leader of the ruling party in the district, morally he would have not allowed this to happen,” said the source.
“They would make sure that the company that they want gets appointed and that is what happened in Queen Nonesi,” he said. He said the outcomes and the whole process were guided.
According to the source, there were people who applied but were overlooked.
The cultural village was handed over to the company by Emalahleni Local Municipality on August 30 and the ANC held its fundraising gala soon after.
Sizani said The Rep must ask the Emalahleni Local Municipality and the department of tourism.
“We’ve never built any business or facility like that as Chris Hani District Municipality. That is a smear campaign and a propaganda machinery,” he said.
Emalahleni Municipality spokesperson Luthando Nqumkana said the municipality was aware of the “misleading and unfounded allegations”.
“About R23m was invested. The national department of tourism can shed light on associated costs,” he said.
Nqumkana said Queen Nonesi Cultural Village was the responsibility of Western Thembu Tourism Primary Cooperative, under Mzwandile Fose as the chair.
“The cultural village is one of the co-operatives we support, guided by the Co-operatives Act. The municipality’s role was limited to providing technical support and we were also invited to sit in on their interviews,” he said.
Nqumkana said the recruitment and selection process was fully handled by the co-operative.
Fose said all processes were followed four companies were shortlisted and interviews were done.
“We looked at the candidates’ experience and if they had a facility like this one.
“We wanted someone who owned a restaurant, not people outside the scope,” he said.
Fose said they were not dealing with Sizani’s wife but the company.
“We appointed the company, not the person. We don’t know Lusanda Sizani.
“How can he influence our decision when we don’t know him,” he said.
CHDM spokesperson Bulelwa Ganyaza said: “The allegation is untrue, misleading and a distortion of facts as the executive mayor has no role in appointments of this nature.
“The executive mayor is committed to maintaining the code and standards of business ethics as articulated in the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2003 and principles of corporate governance,” she said.