04 February 2010

Inkatha Freedom Party says it is immoral to award a R300m housing tender to Shawn Mpisane's Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenance and Transport Company when there is rampant joblessness and poverty. The party also vowed to ensure that whoever is responsible for the Mpisane debacle is held accountable and faces the music. The IFP said this today in reaction to the news reports that government may take action against the eThekwini Municipality over the R300m uMlazi housing tender given to the Mpisane-owned Zikhulise whose work was reported to be shoddy. IFP Spokesperson in the eThekwini Municipality Joshua Mazibuko said:

"We have been following the Mpisane debacle with interest. It is one clear example of Comrade-enrichment at the expense of the tax-payers. When power begins to corrupt, you award tenders without following the legal processes and you turn a blind eye when your pals perform below the required standards.

"The fact that the company was not registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) at the time it was awarded the tender, speaks volumes of the political mischief within the eThekwini Municipality. But above that, it is immoral and inhuman to give one company a R300m contract in the midst of such widespread joblessness and poverty. You cannot justify making one person filthy rich when the Black Economic Empowerment is projected as a broad-based program meant to empower as many people as possible. Why enable one person to buy a Ferrari when you can enable ten or twenty to buy a BMW each?"

"As the IFP in eThekwini, we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is finally seen to be done in this case. If heads must roll, so must it be. And we urge the Minister of Human Settlements to give urgent attention to this matter so that the law will determine what is wrong and that whoever is responsible is held accountable."

Issued by;

M. Joshua Mazibuko

IFP Deputy Secretary; eThekwini                 072 927 0993