The New Year’s Eve Party hosted by the controversial legendary musician Arthur Mafokate in 2015, has come back to haunt him. The Democratic Alliance is challenging both the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation for funding 999 Music in what they call double dipping during the 2015/2016 financial year.

TENDER TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT

Arthur’s company, 999 Music was awarded the tender to provide entertainment at the New Year’s Eve party at Mary Fitzgerald Square in 2015 and it featured top acts like the internationally acclaimed and Grammy-winning sensation Black Coffee, Afro-pop award-winning duo Mafikizolo, Chomee, CiCi, DJ Zinhle, Busiswa, DJ Cleo, Steve Dyer, Zano, Shimza and 999 artists, among a host of entertainers.

DA LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION

In a statement yesterday, the DA said they demand that an investigation be launched into Mafokate for receiving payment from both the city and Sports, Arts and Culture department. The DA tabled a question on the double payment to Mafokate’s company at the Gauteng Legislature on 7 July 2023. Kingsol Chabalala, a Member of the Provincial Legislature and DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, said in a reply to the party’s questions, it was revealed that the department did not have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Johannesburg. Instead, 999 Music was paid a sum of one million rand directly. "The department paid this money to 999 Music despite not being a partner in the event hosted by the City of Johannesburg. Furthermore, the department confirmed that they had partnered with the city, but the city is denying this," Chabalala said.

PAY BACK THE MONEY

Chabalala added that this was worrying as the city paid 999 Music a total of R711 000,00 for the New Year’s Eve Party. "An investigation must be launched into 999 Music to determine why this company was paid twice for the same service rendered during the 2015/2016 financial year, " he said adding that the DA demands that Mafokate’s company pay back the money paid to him by the department and that officials involved in the double payment to 999 Music face disciplinary action. "It is unacceptable that an entertainment company receives compensation twice for the same service. This money could have been used to maintain our heritage sites, libraries and sporting facilities. Our residents deserve a government that ensures that all the supply chain management procedures are followed when paying service providers," Meanwhile, the King of Kwaito is embroiled in a Lotteries Fund fraud case, which saw five of his properties being seized by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). The SIU said it found that five NGOs received grant funding of about R56.3 million for projects, in which Mafokate is also allegedly involved. When asked for a comment, instead of answering our inquiry, Mafokate sent a promo on the Night With the Legends event.