POLITICS

Abuse of state funds to be probed – DA KZN

Party says pro-Zuma faction hijacked KZN Legislature Women’s Parliament

DA to probe abuse of state funds as pro-Zuma faction hijacks KZN Legislature Women’s Parliament

10 August 2017

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal will conduct an investigation into the blatant abuse of taxpayers’ money at a KZN Legislature Women’s Parliament yesterday after the event was turned into an NDZ17 campaign launch for ANC presidential candidate, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

The event, which was supposed to be non-partisan and in celebration of women was instead hijacked by the ANC and turned into an election spectacle with banners and photos of Dlamini-Zuma on display. This in clear view of Premier Willies Mchunu and senior ANC members of the legislature.

The DA is not shocked by yesterday’s events. This type of misuse of power and state funds for ANC party related jamborees has become the norm.

The situation was aggravated by a banquet that was held last night, from which opposition party delegates including the DA were excluded. One can only assume that this clandestine event was again funded by state coffers and had nothing to do with women and everything to do with the ANC and its own internal power struggles.

Yesterday’s sectoral parliament yet again proves that the Zuma faction has captured KZN Premier Mchunu as well as Premier-in-waiting Sihle Zikalala – and by association the provincial legislature.

It is also further evidence that the ANC cannot distinguish between party and state and that it will never grasp the principle of good governance.

The DA is committed to investigate what we regard as a blatant abuse of state funds by the Zuma faction. It is now quite clear that the Zumas and the ANC Zuma campaign - under the leadership of MEC Sihle Zikalala here in KZN - will stop at nothing to achieve their own political objectives.

Issued by Francois RodgersLeader of the DA in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, 10 August 2017