IS KZN PREMIER TRYING TO COVER UP CORRUPTION?
1 September 2015
The IFP in the KZN Legislature has accused the KZN Premier, Senzo Mchunu of trying to cover up corruption and not acting tough on corruption allegations after President Zuma called for the SIU to conduct an investigation into irregularities at the KZN Treasury.
"We are concerned about the lack of transparency and feedback on progress on this matter. To this day we have not been informed as Members of the Legislature on the progress made in the investigation surrounding the spending of tax payers' money on projects like the International North Sea Jazz Festival, Commemorating Prisoners of War - St Helena event and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board. Millions of rand were paid to the organisers but some of the projects never took place and money was not recovered," said IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, Mr Blessed Gwala, MPL.
"This together with other projects were considered serious enough for the President to call for this investigation but months later we have still not heard a whisper from the Premier of the province about progress in this matter," continued Mr Gwala.
"The IFP is concerned about the silence on such serious matters where millions of rands of tax payers' money is unaccounted for but the provincial government remains silent. We would like to know who is being protected here. It is clear that a veil of secrecy has been draped over this matter but we will not rest until the facts have been revealed and all questions have been answered. The Premier is on record saying that he is tough on corruption but his actions prove otherwise. It would appear that the President has no confidence in the Premier’s Integrity Unit and therefore called for the SIU to investigate this matter. It is obvious that some cadres are being protected," concluded Mr Gwala.
The IFP calls on the Premier to urgently announce to the public the outcomes of the investigations.
Statement issued by Blessed Gwala, IFP Leader in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, September 1 2015
