No one is going on any cruise - eThekwini mayor

Durban – eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo on Wednesday poured cold water over reports that the city was planning to splurge R160 000 on a luxury cruise for 40 councillors to travel to the Portuguese Islands (see report).

“Someone has jumped the gun and is trying to kill the city. This is a hoax and a lie. The city is not organising any cruise for councillors,” he said in a letter to eThekwini residents.

It was a smear campaign ahead of the local government elections. 

According to an anonymous source in the city’s economic development committee, the councillors were reportedly going on a cruise on the MSC Sinfonia to the Portuguese Islands between 4 and 7 March, as part of the inaugural Durban Maritime Summit.

Nxumalo said the summit’s cruise conference was a private sector initiative.

Nxumalo said a report was tabled before the economic development and planning committee on December 3, 2015.

In the report, support was sought for the city to host the maritime summit, which was held on 24 to 26 February. This was approved.

“Linked to the summit is a maritime conference on a cruise ship to be held on March 4 to 7, 2016. This matter was recommended by the economic development and planning committee for inclusion in the executive committee agenda for approval.”

Nxumalo said the matter had not yet been presented to the executive committee and no councillors had registered to

attend.

“The city will pay once the councillors have registered to go. At the moment no one has registered to go because it has not been approved by exco. No one is going anywhere.”

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.