Parliament, Friday, 8 October 2021 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Mr Fikile Xasa, has expressed concern over the disproportion between the amount spent on constructing the sports facility in Enoch Mgijima Municipality and the sports facility that was unveiled recently.
According to media reports, the facility, which cost R15 million, is an open field with just a few stadium seats and ablution facilities. The committee welcomes the call by the Eastern Cape Provincial MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for an explanation on the project. “We are hoping that there will be meaningful accountability on a project of that nature,” said Mr Xasa.
Another concern is that the Enoch Mgijima Municipality owes Eskom R400 million and also owes the Auditor General R2.2 million as the committee last heard in November 2020. It should therefore be demonstrating financial sobriety.
The committee hopes for a speedy investigation into the matter to establish a detailed expenditure on the sports facility. Mr Xasa said: “It is important for the municipality to be transparent and account for every cent of the taxpayers’ money that was spent on this project. The committee is going to monitor closely how this matter is handled and resolved.”
The committee condemns any misuse of public funds and hopes that if public funds have been used inappropriately, consequences will be applied to the perpetrators.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MR FIKILE XASA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 377 0686
E-mail: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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