The ACDP is shocked and outraged by the proposal of Ethekwini Parks, Recreation and Culture head, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, to use ratepayers money to fund the recording of former president Jacob Zuma’s popular struggle songs. It is mind boggling that Ngcobo could consider using rate payers money to bank roll the music career of the former president, who has just had fraud, corruption racketeering and money laundering charges against him reinstated by the NPA. To add insult to injury, this proposal takes place against the backdrop in Ethekwini, where we have serious non-service delivery issues, massive unemployment and poverty, which has increased under the ruling party. It is the view of the ACDP that the R25 million, which Ngcobo claims, his unit received for “arts and living cultures”, would be better spent on providing playgrounds for our children in the townships, where no playgrounds exists, and to improve the quality and security of those that exist. The ACDP believes that this proposal to fund former president Jacob Zuma’s singing career is an insult to the poor, marginalized and needy in our city. We will appose this non-sensical funding proposal, which if pushed through by the ruling party, will in our view, amount to fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Councillor Wayne Thring Ethekwini 0836231240 ACDP Deputy President
