Zille tight-lipped on identity of party funders

Western Cape premier Helen Zille has drawn a veil of secrecy over the identity of the funders of the lavish birthday party of a close political ally.

Zille has told The Times she would not share the names of those who funded acting Western Cape DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela's birthday party earlier this year at the swanky One and Only hotel in Cape Town.

Madikizela, who is in Zille's cabinet as MEC for human settlements, has refused to name the donors. So has his partner, Nomafrench Mbombo, who is MEC for health.

The ANC has reported both Madikizela and Mbombo to the public protector.

Zille has publicly claimed to have a full list of donors to the party, copies of all the receipts pertaining to it and an assurance by the chief procurement officer of the department of human settlements that none of the donors was a contractor to the department of human settlements with a single exception.

She said she had investigated and believed Madikizela had done nothing wrong.

When asked to reveal her information, Zille refused to do so, citing lawyers' advice.

"This was a private party and there would have to be exceptional circumstances for me to release information about it to the media," said Zille.

"Those exceptional circumstances would exist if there were any wrongdoing - for example, sponsorship having been sought and acquired from contractors to the department of human settlements.

"I have come to the conclusion that there was no wrongdoing."