The eThekwini Municipality has hit back at claims that it forked out millions for an ANC Women's League conference hosted at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in August.
Describing it as "a desperate attempt to grab headlines", mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, has also challenged opposition parties to produce proof to support the claims.
ActionSA's provincial chairperson, Zwakele Mncwango, earlier this month requested an investigation into what he called the "irregular use of public funds to pay for ANC party activities."
He claimed that over R5 million had been forked out to pay for the ANCWL elective conference at the Durban ICC from August 4-8.
"We are aware that the final invoice from the ICC totalled R4,794,824.21, which was submitted to the municipality," he said.
ActionSA appealed to the head of the city's Integrity and Investigation Unit, Thulani Ntobela, to investigate further.
The Mercury reported that the IFP also raised concerns about the finances around the event.
Kaunda said the municipality does not get involved in the arrangement of logistics and venue hire bookings on behalf of political parties.
"It is deeply concerning when councillors from opposition parties who are public representatives and should be leading with honesty and integrity deliberately distort information and peddle propaganda without any shred of evidence. Public representatives should know better than to peddle gossip," Kaunda said.
He explained that although "the Durban ICC is a municipal entity, it has its own management and processes pertaining to venue hire bookings for all types of events. It has stringent governance processes, of which we are very proud".
"The Durban ICC upholds all principles of corporate governance, diligent oversight, and efficient financial management and has achieved eight clean audit opinions from the Auditor-General. Impressively, in the final quarter, the Durban ICC hosted 129 events, generating R66.3 million.
"Moreover, in the past fiscal year, the Durban ICC contributed R5.7 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and created 11,103 jobs. Instead of communicating positive and factual information pertaining to the running of the city, the imagination of opposition parties is once again veering out of control, and their targeted destination is the 2024 National General Elections," Kaunda said.
He added that the public and members of the media must not be manipulated by opposition political parties who only seek to score cheap political points and tarnish the image and integrity of the city.
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