A delegation of Matjhabeng dignitaries, including Thanduxolo Khalipha, the executive mayor, journeyed to the Eastern Cape to pay their respects at the funeral of the late Sebenzile Ngangelizwe.
The delegation included a unit of the Matjhabeng Traffic Department. These officials stood a guard of honour at the funeral.
The Lejweleputswa Municipality also paid tribute and contributed towards the funeral expenses.
Allegations of an irregular expenditure of R1,1 million from the coffers of the district municipality have, however, been refuted.
Khaya Mqeke, communications manager for the district, says this amount of money was never spent.
“Council took a conscious decision to assist in the burial of former executive mayor Sebenzile Ngangelizwe. There is a standing policy adopted by council some time ago that seeks to address matters of this nature even on this one council adopted a resolution not to spend more than R100 000.
“It is so unfortunate that a servant of the people was laid to rest not long ago and people are talking about him like this, forgetting that his family is still mourning,” says Mqeke.
Tshediso Tlali, communication officer for the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, says Matjhabeng has a co-operative government obligation and supports Lejweleputswa.
“It is on this basis that we offered support towards the official arrangements of the funeral service. We can confirm that our support was primarily in respect of the guard. We felt prudent to provide this assistance since Ngangelizwe had served as the executive mayor of Matjhabeng.
“We dispute the exaggerated costing of our assistance, as it was purely for accommodation and transportation of our peace officers,” says Tlali.
