The Mandela Funeral Report by the Public Protector, which investigates allegations of the misappropriation of public funds to the value of R300 million and improper conduct and maladministration, by among others, the Eastern Cape Provincial Government lays out in detail what many have known to be true: The ANC cannot be trusted with the people’s money.

The Democratic Alliance’s commitment to and work towards ushering in a New Beginning will ensure that the people’s money is invested into building a better province for the people; not the enrichment of crooked politicians and their associates.

The DA in the Eastern Cape will in the coming days, after having studied every detail of the report, announce steps to give full effect to the parts of the report that call for immediate action.

Furthermore, we will seek an update from the relevant authorities already investigating aspects of the report, which date back to as far as December 2013. The wheels of justice can no longer afford to move so slowly, especially when corrupt officials are quick to steal from the poorest of the poor.

Without delay, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba must fulfil his constitutional obligations by writing to President Jacob Zuma to sign a proclamation directing the Special Investigating Unit to investigate a litany of legal transgressions “with a view to institute civil action for the recovery of the loss of public money by organs of state in the procurement of goods and services for the funeral of President Mandela”.

The ANC in the Eastern Cape has hit a new moral low by using the funeral of former President Nelson Mandela for self-enrichment.

High ranking officials in the ANC-run Eastern Cape Provincial Government have been found to have been “…in violation of the provisions of the Constitution, PFMA and Treasury Regulations”, furthermore, the report states that their conduct was “improper and constituted maladministration”.

The ANC will be punished severely by the people of the Eastern Cape who, come 2019, will vote for a total change and a New Beginning under a caring DA-led government that’s committed to building better communities, especially for the poor.

 

Issued by DA