“The new Destea MEC was once again outraged about the opposition's vendetta against Macufe,” MPL of the FF Plus, Armand Cloete, said during the debate on Sports, Arts, and Culture in the Free State Legislature on Tuesday.

The MEC overlooked the fact that he was chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, as well as a member, according to Cloete.  

“His implication that we wish to deny residents of the province access to cultural opportunities is therefore ridiculous,” he said.

A court case involving Macufe last year resulted in a judgment that C Squared's selection as a service provider was improper.

ALSO READ: Macufe court bid launched against Free State Arts and Culture

OFM News previously reported that the director of DS Consortium, Mosa Likobo, had launched an urgent court application against the MEC for the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, and Recreation for awarding the Mangaung African Cultural Festival (Macufe) tender to C-Squared.

Cloete said a different company could have delivered the festival for considerably less if they were informed of the modifications to the tender criteria since it appeared that the tender specifications changed during the tender process.

“So, how convenient. According to the department, the requirements for Macufe changed overnight, and one company met their new requirements.” Cloete added. “The department acted maliciously in awarding C-Squared the tender, without allowing other companies to amend their tenders.

He noted that the judge determined that it was illegal to provide C-Squared the Macufe 2022 contract. The Free State Department of Arts and Culture and the private organisation violated their service level agreement, which was overturned.

ALSO READ: Will Macufe 2022 continue as planned

Joubert Zietsman, the attorney who appeared on behalf of DS Consortium, argued at the time that should judgment favour his client, it won’t necessarily mean that there “won’t be a Macufe 2022”.

Cloete today said Macufe for the ANC is about contracts, not about the people. The service level agreement for public accounts is still pending. He added the FF Plus won't let shady politics stop them from carrying out their vision.

OFM News