Cape Town - The ANC mayor of the Hessequa council in the Western Cape on Tuesday rejected criticism by the Democratic Alliance of his call on businesses to donate money to the ruling party for its municipal elections campaign.
"I hereby confirm that I... have dispatched letters to some businesses to appeal for donations to my movement, the ANC, to assist in the local government election campaign," Christopher Taute said.
"I find it disingenuous of the DA to have levelled allegations against me, claiming that I have 'unlawfully' approached these companies for donations to our campaign.
"Just like the DA and other parties, I have approached private businesses for funding for our election campaign. No one is coerced or put under pressure to make donations to the ANC."
Taute said that since the Municipal Finance Management Act prohibited any councillor from awarding tenders in any municipality, there was no question of him returning favours to companies that contributed to the ANC's campaign.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Donations-request-acceptable-ANC-mayor-20110201
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