/ 26 September 2005

DA to probe Limpopo ‘Dinnergate’

South Africa’s official opposition Democratic Alliance is to raise questions in the Limpopo legislature asking for a full list of officials who participated in an African National Congress fund-raising dinner that it has dubbed ”Dinnergate”.

According to weekend reports, the ruling ANC offered prominent business people and potential donors the opportunity to dine with high-profile government department and parastatal heads — at a price.

The ANC allegedly auctioned off clothes and in one case sandals of Premier Sello Moloto — raising R60 000. The entire party apparently raised R3,2-million for the ruling party.

Democratic Alliance national spokesperson Helen Zille said the DA views this as exploitation of civil servants — who were paid by taxpayers — as corrupt.

”It amounts to peddling of influence. It also raises the question of how many of those who paid to dine with a state celebrity, pledged donations to the ANC or bought auctioned items have received or will receive state tenders.”

Zille said: ”The DA will be submitting questions in the Limpopo legislature asking for a full list of those officials who participated in the dinner. We will also ask for a list of business people who attended the dinner, together with a record of how many of these individuals currently hold state tenders in Limpopo or are vying for such tenders.” — I-Net Bridge