The African National Congress (ANC) ”hijacked” the funeral of Adelaide Tambo, wife of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, and therefore should pay the funeral costs, an Ekurhuleni opposition councillor said on Tuesday.
”The ANC hijacked the funeral, turning it into a political issue,” said Izak Berg, independent ratepayers’ association councillor.
Berg was reacting to weekend reports that opposition-party councillors ”fear for their lives” after enquiring at last week’s council meeting into the more than R2,2-million the metro has to pay for funeral costs.
He said opposition parties want a ”specified” account of the funeral expenses from the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality.
”They [ANC councillors] were very unhappy with me. I am not scared of threats,” Berg said on Tuesday, saying he was the victim of ”dreigende houdings [threatening behaviour]” during and after last week’s meeting. ”There is no time for this [behaviour] in the new South Africa.”
The metro council was asked to approve expenses of R2 225 210, its share of Tambo’s funeral costs.
The resolution was opposed by four councillors, two from the ratepayers’ association and two from the Freedom Front Plus. Six Democratic Alliance councillors walked out before the issue was discussed.
”The funeral was exclusively an ANC affair. Why must the ratepayer pay for this? The money must be from the ANC’s own coffers,” Rapport quoted Berg saying over the weekend.
On Tuesday, Berg said the practice of donating funds for party political activities is against the Municipal Finance Management Act, adding that the metro council cannot spend money and afterwards ask for approval without proof.
”Proof of expenses was not even presented,” he said.
He suggested the ANC pay the money back to the metro, which in turn could build a clinic with the money, naming it after Tambo.
Berg said expenses attributed to the metro include R53 796 for grass cutting along the main route from OR Tambo International Airport to Benoni, which is a provincial responsibility.
The weekend report said other costs include R489 375 for media scheduling, R223 075 for food and decorations, and R612 726 for audio equipment. Placards, funeral booklets, T-shirts, chairs and tables, a marquee and toilets cost about R600 000.
Ekurhuleni mayor Duma Nkosi is expected to submit the detailed account at the next council meeting, on the last Thursday of the month.
A council spokesperson could not be reached for comment on Tuesday afternoon. — Sapa