IFP councils told to cough up

THE KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has begun a crackdown on rebellious IFP-controlled municipalities in the northern parts of the province.

The clampdown comes in the wake of what senior government ministers interpret as open rebellion, amid claims that the municipalities used government funds to push political agendas before the local government elections.

This week the provincial Cabinet meeting ordered the province's director-general, Mandla Mchunu, to recover "misused funds".

The government ordered Hlabisa district municipality, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, to foot the bill for an official opening of council offices presided over by IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi two weeks ago.

Department of Local Government spokesman Lennox Mabaso said: "The Cabinet has instructed the provincial director-general to recoup public funds that were used to stage this function.

"Money will be refunded, even if it means people paying it off with their pension funds or salaries."

The Hlabisa municipality defied the instructions of local government - which were to allow Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu to open the building - and invited Buthelezi instead.

Suspicions were aroused in provincial government as the Hlabisa ceremony coincided with Buthelezi's campaign trail, and was attended by chanting IFP supporters.

Hlabisa mayor Hamilton Mayise said the issue was a domestic matter.

"I will have to consult with the council before attempting to answer your questions ... Everything that affects the council is treated with respect.

"We also have a very strict policy that prevents us from disclosing internal matters without the knowledge of the council," he said.

Mayise refused to disclose the cost of staging the event.

Other municipalities are also embroiled in the conflict.

The Umkhanyakude, Mhlabuyalingana and uMzinyathi municipalities are said to have displayed political flags at government events in the run-up to local government elections.

IFP national spokesman Musa Zondi dismissed the director-general's intervention as a political card being played by Mabuyakhulu's office.

"Municipalities are not an extension of the Department of Local Government. They have a constitutional right to act as independent bodies ... I do not see anything wrong with them inviting whoever they want to their events," said Zondi.

Zondi stressed that Buthelezi was invited to the Hlabisa and Umkhanyakude events in his capacity as chairman of the House of Traditional Leaders.

"If councils take a resolution to invite Shenge [Buthelezi] to their municipalities, that must not be taken as a political issue. This is total madness and a violation of the rights of municipalities."