R25 000 for fake workshop

Invitation was forged for a non-event

FOUR Buffalo City ANC councillors used more than R25 000 of taxpayers’ money to travel to an “unknown” three-day workshop in Johannesburg last month.

The delegation was led by Ward 7 councillor Clara Morolong-Yekiso, Ward 2 councillor Ntombizandile Mhlola,Ward 14 councillor Zininzi Mtyingizane as well as ANC proportional representative councillor Vuyiswa Ethel Mpanza.

Their travelling costs for flights and taxi fares between O R Tambo included a separate amount of R7 800 just for their chauffeur while an average hotel room at their Southern Sun Hotel costs R1 800 per night.

The “fake” event was hosted by Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s office and coincided with the ANC’s 105th January 8 anniversary celebrations which were also held in Johannesburg.

However, Dlamini’s spokeswoman Lumka Oliphant could not confirm the event for two weeks.

But the Dispatch can reveal today that a fraudulent letter with the signature of Dlamini’s chief of staff Abram “Phahlamohlaka” was used as the basis for mayor Xola Pakati to authorise the trip.

The letter dated January 3 invited the four to a three-day social development women’s stakeholder relations workshop.

The event was going to be held at Southern Sun International Hotel from January 6-8.

But Southern Sun’s events co-ordinator Itumeleng Mamatela confirmed that no such event was held at their hotel on those dates.

“The only booking I had for that date was from the Department Justice and also the Department of Justice booking was for a day and on the following day I had a church conference,” said Mamatela.

The Dispatch can also reveal that not only was Dlamini’s chief of staff’s name misspelt in the letter, but an administrator in Phahlamohla’s office, who refused to give her details, confirmed the letter was fake as her boss was on leave during this period.

“All these letters eventually come to us and we are the ones who do the actual sending of all these letters. I do not recall such an invite and even such an event.

“Furthermore Mr Phahlamohla was on leave and only came back on January 18,” she said.

The group boarded SA1410 and returned on January 8.

Documents from BCM’s travelling agency Aloe Travel, which Saturday Dispatch has seen, confirm that the four were booked into Southern Sun Hotel for two nights, and had to check out by 10am on January 8.

Earlier in the week, when Morolong-Yekiso was contacted by the Saturday Dispatch, she asked to be given “five minutes” to respond. She did not answer any further calls.

When Mhlola was contacted by the Saturday Dispatch, she confirmed being part of the trip to Johannesburg but declined to answers questions about the reasons for the trip and related details.

She cancelled the call saying: “I am in a meeting. Please call me in 10 minutes please.”

After 10 minutes Mhlola did not pick up her phone.

Saturday Dispatch also discovered that Mhlola was not a member of the BCM women’s caucus.

Five calls each were made to Mtyingizane and Mpanza, but they did not answer.

BCM mayor Xola Pakati said he had signed authorising the trip because there was an invite presented to him for the social development’s social alleged event.

Pakati said he was not aware if the event took place.

“I am surprised that the event never took place. The municipality will have to investigate this and take action,” said Pakati. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za