Municipal invoices leaked to The Herald this week showed that the Bay’s first couple spent more than a week in December-January at the Protea Mhlanga Ridge Hotel, with accommodation, food and drinks paid for by the Metro at a time when it was barely recovering from a financial crisis.

Wayile’s spokesman Luncedo Njezula insisted, however, that the mayor had been on official business – but would not say what it was.

The documents show that Fezeka flew from Port Elizabeth to Durban on December 27 and spent the night at the hotel, while Wayile flew from East London the next day to join her.

The hotel bill – including breakfast, dinner and beverages for the duration of the holiday – totalled about R17,600 while their return flights cost about R7,500.

UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani has asked for an investigation into the allegations.

“This is very serious. When the head of an institution is involved in fruitless expenditure, that needs to be investigated and, if it is true, the law should take its course. We condemn it.”

DA caucus leader Leon De Villiers said: “If that is indeed true, it would surprise me as the mayor does not strike me as someone who would do that.

“So far he has shown a very good example and shown willingness to lead a clean municipality,” he said.

“This is the first time I am hearing about this and if it is even remotely true, I would be very disappointed.”

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Sun May 26 08:21:09 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 14, 2012

malemaforpresident

burnn down their house once moooer
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Jun 14, 2012

shaharazad

He should be concentrating on ridding the area of rats, but then, if you have a wife called Fezeka, the rats might be closer than he thinks. Its beyond me how he could justify that lavishness
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Jun 14, 2012

somaartakeit

@malemaforpresident
"burnn down their house once moooer" LOVL
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Jun 14, 2012

drewster

I wonder if he works for the ANC?
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Jun 15, 2012

Pointman

This is not lavishness by cabinet minister standards - more like a pap a spinach holiday than steak and caviar. And don't b urn their house down as it will be an excuse to move into a R10 000 a night hotel. Cut our losses at R25 000.
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Jun 15, 2012

shaharazad

Pointman, that was funny
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Jul 31, 2012

Bhali

Sowetan, lets do the maths here:

17600 / 8 = 2200 for two people sharing per night.
7500 / 4 = 1875 per person a single flight

If one considers the fact that the Mayor enjoys subsistence allowance, surely you should be embarrassed by this story. Last week you reported that MECs in Gauteng have government credit cards with 100 000 limit. You never said anything about wasteful expenditure.

I run a Travel Agency and believe, that's what government normally pays for hotel accommodation. In fact the flights are actually cheap on a per person bases.
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