AWARD-WINNING gospel singer Sechaba Padi wants the Free State MEC for police, roads and transport Butana Komphela to pay him for using him as a "human shield".
He fingers the high-ranking official for the pickle he finds himself in. Pali will be burying his niece over the weekend, and the R120 000 owed to him by the department is holding him back from assisting his family to cover the funeral costs.
Pali told Sowetan yesterday that Komphela hired him to perform and act as a motivational speaker at three awareness events where the community was angry over the murdered of a pupil in Welkom and to calm the marauding crowds baying for the blood of officials.
"I did three events in Welkom where I charged them R40000 for each, that was through Ntate Komphela. They are now giving me the run-around, they started by demanding many papers which they did not mention in the beginning," said the controversial singer.
The Gauteng-based artist did the three shows in and around Welkom, his home town, and also a stronghold for his fans.
"A pupil was killed in the Free State and as MEC, he went out to speak to youth and parents at schools. He spoke about safety issues. The community was angry and said the police were not doing much. Because of this, Komphela called me in to perform at the event for R40000 and when he saw that the people did not try to beat them up, he took me to two more events.
"Whenever the crowd got aggressive, they (MCs) asked me to sing and act as a motivational speaker because they knew the crowd liked me. While I was performing, they would slip out and leave me with the crowd as I kept them busy. So I was a human wall for them not to get attacked by the community."
Pali said he would be "okay" even if he got only the R40000 from the original show just so that he can help his bereaved relatives.
" Even if I get money from one show, I will be able to help my family, they can keep the other R80000."
MEC Komphela said that Pali told half truths as the reason he had not been paid is that he did not have a tax clearance certificate.
"We cannot pay him without the tax clearance because we do not want to get him into trouble. He told me and the [departmental] chief finance officer that he had issues with the company he worked with.
"We even spoke to Teboho (Moloi, the gospel singer) to accept the money on his behalf because they have a relationship. They had to agree on payments of deductions though," said Komphela.
"I like him and want to keep on working with him but he has to sort out the tax clearance issue. It would be illegal to use him without it. He has to tell people the truth."
Joy Masemola, the chief finance officer, said the department was processing Moloi's invoice and that Pali would receive his money eventually.
She added she knew nothing about the singer being a "human shield" and that the department initiated the third person payment route to assist Pali. Moloi could not be reached for comment.
mashotol@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
'I was used and dumped' - singer not paid for shows
AWARD-WINNING gospel singer Sechaba Padi wants the Free State MEC for police, roads and transport Butana Komphela to pay him for using him as a "human shield".
He fingers the high-ranking official for the pickle he finds himself in. Pali will be burying his niece over the weekend, and the R120 000 owed to him by the department is holding him back from assisting his family to cover the funeral costs.
Pali told Sowetan yesterday that Komphela hired him to perform and act as a motivational speaker at three awareness events where the community was angry over the murdered of a pupil in Welkom and to calm the marauding crowds baying for the blood of officials.
"I did three events in Welkom where I charged them R40000 for each, that was through Ntate Komphela. They are now giving me the run-around, they started by demanding many papers which they did not mention in the beginning," said the controversial singer.
The Gauteng-based artist did the three shows in and around Welkom, his home town, and also a stronghold for his fans.
"A pupil was killed in the Free State and as MEC, he went out to speak to youth and parents at schools. He spoke about safety issues. The community was angry and said the police were not doing much. Because of this, Komphela called me in to perform at the event for R40000 and when he saw that the people did not try to beat them up, he took me to two more events.
"Whenever the crowd got aggressive, they (MCs) asked me to sing and act as a motivational speaker because they knew the crowd liked me. While I was performing, they would slip out and leave me with the crowd as I kept them busy. So I was a human wall for them not to get attacked by the community."
Pali said he would be "okay" even if he got only the R40000 from the original show just so that he can help his bereaved relatives.
" Even if I get money from one show, I will be able to help my family, they can keep the other R80000."
MEC Komphela said that Pali told half truths as the reason he had not been paid is that he did not have a tax clearance certificate.
"We cannot pay him without the tax clearance because we do not want to get him into trouble. He told me and the [departmental] chief finance officer that he had issues with the company he worked with.
"We even spoke to Teboho (Moloi, the gospel singer) to accept the money on his behalf because they have a relationship. They had to agree on payments of deductions though," said Komphela.
"I like him and want to keep on working with him but he has to sort out the tax clearance issue. It would be illegal to use him without it. He has to tell people the truth."
Joy Masemola, the chief finance officer, said the department was processing Moloi's invoice and that Pali would receive his money eventually.
She added she knew nothing about the singer being a "human shield" and that the department initiated the third person payment route to assist Pali. Moloi could not be reached for comment.
mashotol@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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