Treasury still to recover Kora awards millions

2008-02-08 00:00

Bheki Mbanjwa

MILLIONS of taxpayers’ money, used to fund the 2005 Kora awards function in Durban, are yet to be recovered by the provincial Treasury.

Senior officials from the Treasury Department appeared before the provincial legislature’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) yesterday.

Pam Zulu, an official at the Treasury said her department was meeting attorneys yesterday to explore ways on how the money could be recovered.

The department had assisted in paying suppliers to the Kora All African Music awards after Kora organisers failed to secure sponsorship for the event. The department is trying to recover R5,5 million, which had been an overpayment to Kora Entertainment.

The 2005/2006 audit report found there were “shortcomings” in the sponsorship agreement, which the provincial government and Kora had entered into.

Zulu told Scopa that the payment could not be regarded irregular as all processes had been followed and that the payment had been authorised. “The question would be whether it was in the vote or not,” she said.

The department will again appear before Scopa, on February 29, where they will give a more detailed report on this and other matters.

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