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ANC told to pay R2,2m for Tambo burial

LIFE WELL LIVED: At the funeral of Adelaide Tambo at the Wattville Stadium hundreds of people came to pay their respects. Members of the ANC executive carried her coffin to the hearse. Pic. Mbuzeni Zulu. 11/02/07. © Sowetan.
LIFE WELL LIVED: At the funeral of Adelaide Tambo at the Wattville Stadium hundreds of people came to pay their respects. Members of the ANC executive carried her coffin to the hearse. Pic. Mbuzeni Zulu. 11/02/07. © Sowetan.

The ANC "hijacked" the funeral of Adelaide Tambo, wife of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, and therefore should pay the funeral costs, an Ekurhuleni opposition councillor said yesterday.

The ANC "hijacked" the funeral of Adelaide Tambo, wife of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, and therefore should pay the funeral costs, an Ekurhuleni opposition councillor said yesterday.

"The ANC hijacked the funeral, turning it into a political issue," said Izak Berg, Independent Ratepayers Association councillor.

Berg was reacting to weekend reports that opposition party councillors "fear for their lives" after inquiring at last week's council meeting into the more than R2,2million the Ekurhuleni metro has to pay for funeral costs.

"They [ANC councillors] were very unhappy with me. I am not scared of threats," Berg said yesterday, saying he was the victim of dreigende houdings - threatening behaviour - during and after last week's meeting.

The metro council was asked to approve expenses of R2225210, its share of Tambo's funeral costs.

The resolution was opposed by four councillors, two from the ratepayers association and two from the Freedom Front Plus.

"The funeral was exclusively an ANC affair. Why must the ratepayer pay for this? The money must be from the ANC's own coffers," said Berg.

Yesterday Berg said the practice of donating funds for party political activities was contrary to the Municipal Finance Management Act, adding that the metro council could not spend money and afterwards ask for approval without proof.

Berg said expenses attributed to the metro included a R53796 for grass cutting from OR Tambo International Airport to Benoni.

The weekend report said other costs include R489375 for media scheduling, R223075 for food and decorations, and R612726 for audio equipment.

Meanwhile, placards, funeral booklets, T-shirts, chairs and tables, a marquee and toilets were priced at about R600000. - Sapa

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