DISAPPOINTMENT KZN Premier's office faces backlash over ‘empty promises’ to young entrepreneurs

THE Office of the Premier in KwaZu-lu-Natal has been blasted for “toying” with the ambitions of young people and making “empty promises” after pledging business funding when it did not have the money.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

Members of the Finance Portfolio Committee recently took the office to task after it emerged that the office had promised R100 million in business funding support for young people in Youth Empowerment Funding at a time when it did not have the funds.

It held an event in June to announce the recipients of the funding. The office was heavily criticised for hosting this function, as it had no money to disburse.

In addition, the actual disbursement of the funds stalled after it emerged that there might have been irregularities in the selection of the beneficiaries, leading to a probe being launched into the matter.

It has emerged that at the time the announcement of the funding was made, the department did not have the money it had committed; approximately R75 million of this amount was with the Provincial Treasury awaiting rollover approval.

The Provincial Treasury department stated yesterday that the cabinet had approved the rollover, but it still needs to be tabled before the legislature, which will happen only early in December.

The funding promises were made in June, but the cabinet only approved the rollover on Friday.