WATCH | Vivian Reddy offers R5m to anyone who can prove 'vile' corruption rumour about him

13 March 2024 - 11:22
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KwaZulu-Natal business Vivian Reddy is willing to pay R5m to anyone who can prove he has paid off councillors and politicians. File image
KwaZulu-Natal business Vivian Reddy is willing to pay R5m to anyone who can prove he has paid off councillors and politicians. File image
Image: JACKIE CLAUSEN

KwaZulu-Natal businessman Vivian Reddy offered a R5m reward to anyone with proof he is involved in paying off politicians and civil servants at KwaDukuza municipality.

Reddy, the founder of the Edison Power Group and several malls including Oceans Mall in Umhlanga and KwaDukuza Mall, shared a video on social media after “vile, malicious and fake” allegations against him.

He said he was aware of rumours claiming he paid the legal fees for suspended KwaDukuza CFO Shamir Rajcoomar.

Rajcoomar is in a legal battle against the municipality after he was placed on precautionary suspension in July last year amid queries about bank charges the municipality said were irregular and wasteful expenditure.

Reddy said there were also allegations he paid certain councillors about R6m each and ANC councillors an undisclosed amount.

“It has come to my attention that there are vile, malicious and fake allegations against me. These allegations are fake and I'm determined to get to the bottom of this truth.

“I want to give a reward to anyone who comes up with proof that I have made such payments. You will be rewarded with R5m. All you have to do is go to the police station, produce a signed affidavit of my involvement and proof of such and you will get paid with no questions asked.”

Reddy said the “rumours” stemmed from battles between ANC members in the municipality. 

The members should fight their own battles without wrongfully involving him for their benefit. 

“I want no part of it,” he said. 

Reddy said he has invested more than R550m in KwaDukuza and employed 1,200 people. 

Rajcoomar’s disciplinary hearing was halted when he was granted an interdict for two separate high court motions.

The two matters include an application for civic groups to be granted public access to the disciplinary hearing and records that point to alleged irregularities in the council process to suspend him.

Last month, the municipality appointed a second acting CFO, Sibusiso Chonguene, pending the legal outcome. 

The municipality's financial situation has resulted in numerous service delivery challenges.

While it received about R1.3bn from the National Treasury after floods in the past two years it had to apply for a rollover of funds as the money was not allocated and spent and only half the infrastructure was fixed.

* This story has been edited to correct the charges facing Rajcoomar. The error is regretted.

TimesLIVE


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