Mayor making a meal of public funds

DURBAN – A KwaZulu-Natal mayor is using public funds to buy himself hamburgers, the South African Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) said this week.

‘I have learnt with utmost disgust about a mayor of a particular municipality in our province who feeds his burger appetite with the public purse,’ said Scopa Chairman, Makhosi Khoza.The municipality’s mayor, who she did not want to name, was ‘nursing his love for Kentucky [Fried Chicken] and Steers burgers at the expense of the public’.’I’m calling on all public officials to stop abusing the public purse.’Scopa was still waiting for a full report about the mayor, including details of how much he had spent on fast food, saying he would be named and shamed.’The available public resources far outstrip the basic services demands of our people. Every cent has to be saved, especially to address the water crisis in our province.’Scopa had asked the co-operative governance department to provide detailed information on matter.Khoza said it was important for all municipalities to have Scopas to perform oversight roles.’Issues like these can be picked up early by Scopas, which can take punitive measures.’ – Nampa-Sapa