King distances himself from building scandal

KING Goodwill Zwelithini has called for the Public Protector to investigate the escalation of construction costs at the cultural complex in Nongoma, said to be approaching R1 billion.

Through his advisers, Zwelithini has moved to distance himself from the brewing scandal, saying the cultural complex to accommodate maidens for the annual reed dance was a government-led project, and his input was minimal.

Judge Jerome Ngwenya, the chairperson of the Ingonyama Trust, said the king was demanding a detailed investigation by the Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, because he felt he was being tainted by the allegations.

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that an investigation by the auditing firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo had found that costs had escalated by more than eight times, with consultants inflating their normal prices by up to 200%.

Ngwenya said while the costing and financing of the project was the government’s responsibility, they were shocked by the figure being mentioned as very little had been built on the site.

“We need to make it clear that this was a government project built next to the Enyokeni Royal Palace, it is not the palace for the king,” Judge Ngwenya said.

He said that when the project was proposed, its price tag was R600 million.

“The provincial government had promised to spend R300 million and the national government was going to contribute half. The provincial government came back to say they did not have the money. The project was going to take about two years to complete.”

He said the complex would have a museum, dormitory for the maidens, an amphitheatre and playground.

“A few months after the construction had begun, it stalled, and Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa came to inform His Majesty that there was no money for the project. He said there were issues being investigated by his office.”

Ngwenya said the only thing on the site was infrastructure.

“There is no building there; some parts have concrete, the stadium is partially built and some fencing.

“We do not know what or how much the government had spent, because they were not obliged to inform His Majesty what they had spent money on or how much they had spent.

“This was a government-led project, but the impression created now is that His Majesty was getting a spectacular palace. Even when you look at the plans of that cultural village, there is nothing about a house for His Majesty.

“We are quite shocked that His Majesty has been implicated in this; the impression created here is wrong.

“Yesterday we were holding high-level meetings to drum up investment in the province, and now the impression has been created that the king does not follow what he says and is getting spectacular palaces,” Judge Ngwenya said.

Mthethwa’s spokesperson, Lisa Combrink, said they could speak on the matter only after getting a briefing from the director-general.

Attempts to reach the KZN Arts and Culture Department were unsuccessful.