ActionSA takes on Durban ICC on alleged funds abuse

ActionSA has given the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) board an ultimatum to come clean about accusations that it colluded with the ANC-led eThekwini municipality to bill the city for a Women’s Month launch which turned out to be an ANC Women's League conference.

On Thursday, ActionSA KwaZulu-Natal leader Zwakele Mncwango handed over a memorandum of demands to Durban ICC management asking for “transparency in the case where the Durban ICC signed a memorandum of understanding [MoU] with eThekwini municipality to pay a R5m bill for the ANCWL conference”.

“We call on you to open a case with the police within seven days because a crime has been committed. You have a responsibility to report the crime. 

“Failing which — if the crime is not reported within seven days — you leave us, as ActionSA, with no option but to bring a motion to remove the board at our council meeting next week,” said Mncwango.

The case against the ICC, according to Mncwango, is:

• In an MoU the city committed to pay R5,089,781 towards their Women's Month launch. On October 18, during a finance portfolio committee meeting, mayor Mxolisi Kaunda confirmed the city had signed the MoU to host this event but further said the event was later cancelled.
• ActionSA is also aware that the ICC invoiced eThekwini municipality for R4,798,024 after the women's league conference. If the mayor's statement that the event was cancelled is true, why did the ICC invoice eThekwini municipality?
• The ICC illegally invoiced the city for the Women's Month event, knowing such an event did not take place. The ICC has not done its due diligence in this matter and may be withholding vital information.

Among ActionSA’s demands is that the ICC publish the MoU between it and the ANC “if it does exist”. 

“After the venue had been booked by the municipality to host their Woman’s Month launch programme, how did the ICC allow the ANCWL to use a venue scheduled to be used by the municipality? 

“At what stage was the CEO and the board chairperson made aware that the eThekwini Woman’s Month launch meant to be hosted at the venue was turned into an ANCWL conference, and was the CEO aware that eThekwini municipality agreed to their MoU on behalf of the ANC?” Mncwango asked. 

“This [ICC] is a public entity owned by the municipality, which means it is owned by ratepayers of eThekwini.”

It also emerged that ICC board chairperson Glen Mashinini is “no longer board chairperson”, he said.

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