‘I’ll repay the R10 000 trip’ that never was, says Tshwane deputy mayor

An oversight visit to the ruins of Caledonian Stadium became heated after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members and journalists challenged Tshwane’s deputy mayor about pocketing R10 000 from a work trip she never took in 2020.

Last week, Tshwane EFF caucus leader Obakeng Ramabodu accused deputy mayor and Action SA’s Nasiphi Moya of booking a trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during her term in office as chief of staff, receiving R10 000 in expenses for the trip, not going on the trip and also not paying back the money received, which cost the city R165 940.

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The EFF then staged a walkout from council when Moya was officially elected deputy mayor. Moya said she didn’t steal the money and said it was a lack of judgment.

“The trip was confirmed. I confirmed it,” she said.

“The process has now been handed over to the city manager to go back to the records of 2020 and make sure he gets the information for the council and make recommendations in terms of how much to pay and when to pay.

“But what I can tell South Africans [is] the recommendations will be adhered to, there is no question about that.”

Moya said the R10 000 was paid into her account a week before she pulled out of the trip.

“During that time, there was a lot of chaos in the city and there was a lapse of judgment on my part,” she said.

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“The city never followed up, so there was never a refusal to return the money. When I left the city four months later, it didn’t move up in [the] priority list. The money will be paid.”

Moya said she moved on with her life and the money was never an issue.

“The moment I remembered what happened, I said to everyone, I apologise for the lapse of judgment, there’s no issue in paying back the money,” she said.

“Yes, I have failed and I have admitted so much, and I wronged. I am willing to make corrections to my lack of judgment.”

Moya said it was for the city to hold her accountable and judge her.

“It was a lapse of judgment. I have admitted my wrong and said the city must judge me,” she said.

“There is an investigation that’s currently happening. The investigation is commissioned by the council.

“Whatever the council says, I will adhere to the recommendations of the council.”

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Moya said she couldn’t say more but to ask the residents of Tshwane for a second chance.

“To the EFF, they are the opposition in council and must continue doing what they are doing. Their role is to hold us to account. There’s nothing wrong with the opposition doing what the opposition does,” she said.

EFF chairperson Majuda Mauwane said they wanted accountability.

“As a community, we feel robbed by the DA [Democratic Alliance] and Action SA government,” he said.

“Our youth is being robbed of job opportunities and the opportunity to play sports but, instead, they are roaming the streets because of this government. We want our stadium back.”

Mauwane said the city should either restore the stadium to its former glory, or rebuild it.