By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has advised against the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) plan to splurge R20 million on the South African Music Awards (SAMAs).
The provincial government documents showed that the EDTEA asked for R28m, it later revised the figure to R20m.
The presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said that while Ramaphosa does not interfere in provincial government affairs.
“In MEC’s report to premiers, the president does not get involved in the day-to-day running of provincial departments. However, the president did advise MEC Duma against such spending in the interest of maintaining fiscal discipline,” Magwenya said.
ActionSA’s KZN chairperson Zwakele Mncwango wrote to Ramaphosa on Monday expressing his party’s “deep concern” over the planned expenditure by the Edtea and the eThekwini municipality in relation to the awards.
“We have reached out to you with a sense of urgency, seeking your immediate intervention in this matter. We firmly believe that this allocation of funds is not only a clear case of misuse but may also have potentially sinister implications, considering the absence of an itemised budget with accurate and substantial figures, “said Mncwango.
His said their primary objection to the plan to allocate R28m for the Samas was that the decision to divert funds from other crucial programmes lacked fiscal justification and did not adhere to the necessary approval process required by the provincial legislature.
“To further underscore the gravity of the situation, the eThekwini municipality mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, has unilaterally committed an additional R25m to host the Samas without obtaining prior council approval.
“We are particularly alarmed that, despite facing significant financial constraints, the KZN provincial government and eThekwini municipality have chosen to allocate a staggering R53m towards a vanity project, rather than prioritising investments in the recovery efforts of a province still reeling from the devastating July 2021 riots and the April 2022 floods.”
Mncwango called on Ramaphosa to demonstrate his commitment to the governing party’s “renewal” agenda and act swiftly to intercept what it said was irrational expenditure, especially when the people of KZN and eThekwini were faced with dilapidated infrastructure and limited economic opportunities, which should be the department’s primary focus.
Duma will brief the media on Wednesday about the matter.
The awards are set for the weekend of November 17 — 18 at the Durban ICC. Samas budget includes R2m for a “red-carpet show” and R70,000 apiece for six influencers, at R420,000.