EFF statement on the R3 million bill spent by the Free State provincial government on MEC Tate Makgoe’s funeral
14 June 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters is not shocked by the recent revelations, that the Free State provincial government spent more than R3 million for the funeral of the late MEC Tate Makgoe.
The funeral has cost tax payers R3 432 676,00. The premier confirmed during the question-and-answer session at the Legislature sitting, that the three funeral events over several days at three venues costed taxpayers over R3 million. This is a great wastage of state resources and tax payers' money that could have effortlessly been used to provide services to the people of Free State who live in constant poverty and the people of Parys who have been without drinkable water for many years.
While the rest of the province was mourning the ANC provincial government saw the funeral of the late MEC as an opportunity to loot state resources. The ANC government is known for spending exorbitant funds on funerals, every opportunity they get to loot taxpayers' money they use it. This is the highest demonstration of a government that has no ethical or moral values, A wicked and inconsiderate government.
It comes as no shock that they used C-Squared Consumer Connectedness as their service provider, a company that has a history of dodgy dealings with the Provincial government. This is the same company that has faced highly publicized court challenges and a HAWK'S investigation after alleged irregularities with the 2022 Macufe festival tender.
Comrade Tate Makgoe was an MEC who served the basic Education sector in the province diligently and is hailed across the Country for the outstanding job he did for the education sector. Opportunists have exploited this funeral and have today brought his name into disrepute and tarnishing his legacy by throwing a heavy cloud of Corruption around his burial.
Today anyone who remembers MEC Tate, his legacy and his funeral will also associate it with the looting of State funds rather than the good that he has done. All this because the ANC has no respect even for the Dead. Truly, what was once a movement, a Liberation movement, has slowly become nothing less than a cluster of Sociopaths. Comrade Tate deserved more than this.
Such actions should be frowned upon and those who are involved must be held accountable.
The EFF will write to the Provincial Government demanding an explanation of how much has been spent towards the funeral, lay a complaint with the office of the public protector and open a case with the Hawks.
There is nothing left in the ANC, what some have viewed as a new dawn of the ANC, the new Leadership of ANC in the Province, these are the same people that have reduced a dignitary's funeral into a State fund Buffet. There has never been a more imminent time for a change in Governance, the EFF calls upon all people of the Free State to register to vote for the EFF in the 2024 general election. The only organization that can be trusted and has the best interest of our people at heart. It is high time that our people vote the ANC out of power.
We are our only hope. Let us make 2024 a repetition of 1994.30 years of oppression in the form of Freedom shall come to an end.
Issued by Mapheule Liphoko, Provincial Chairperson, EFF Free State, 14 June 2023
