31st August 2008

The unsuccessful Msunduzi Municipality-sponsored Women's Day has once more proved the impunity with which the ANC abuses the taxpayers' hard-earned money to support ANC-aligned individuals, said the IFP today. The IFP said this in reaction to a news report that, earlier in the week, the Msunduzi Municipality voted R250 000 to sponsor "Ibhubesi Enterprises - jointly-owned by the controversial former Head of the Department of Agriculture, Dr Jabulani Mjwara and his former Secretary, Nontokozo Mathonsi - to host the Women's Day Concert," which was scheduled to be held at the Pietermaritzburg Oval yesterday. Dr Mjwara resigned from the Department prior to being hauled before a disciplinary hearing for allegations of poor management after millions of rands could not be accounted for. Speaking on behalf of the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr. Joshua Mazibuko said:

"The voters of KwaZulu-Natal should see the ANC for what they really are; a party which abuses the hard-earned taxes of the poorest with impunity in order to support and benefit ANC-aligned individuals regardless of their questionable records.

"No Municipality worth its salt would have the temerity to sponsor Mjwara against the background of allegations which he did not have the courage to face in the Department of Agriculture. What adds insult to injury is that the said concert became a failure with about 300 of the 15 000 projected people turning up.

"As the IFP we demand that Mjwara must be made to pay back the whole R250 000. Secondly, Minister Mike Mabuyakhulu must conduct an urgent investigation on this farce and communicate his findings publicly."

"As the IFPYB we call on students to study hard and put in a massive effort so that they can be confident of quality marks and a good pass rate when they start their final exams in November 2008," concluded Mrs Pat Lebenya-Ntanzi MP.