Winde defends Climate Week trip funding amid ANC scrutiny

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said there was nothing sinister about his sponsored trip to attend Climate Week in New York last year.

Winde was responding to claims from the African National Congress (ANC) that his trip, which was funded by the Under2 Coalition, of which he is a chairperson, was not declared in the Register of Members' Interests.

ALSO READ: Winde's US trip funding 'above board,' says Western Cape government

The Under2 Coalition is a global network of subnational governments committed to climate action.

The provincial government stated that the sponsorship was a reimbursement for the costs it incurred for an economy-class ticket to the United States.

The ANC in the provincial legislature wants Premier Winde's travel to New York to be probed, claiming the donation for this trip was not declared as required by the legislature's code of conduct.

However, the provincial overnment says the sponsorship money did not benefit the premier but was paid directly to the province's revenue fund.

Winde tabled his department's annual report before the Standing Committee on the Premier and Constitutional Matters on Tuesday.

"I did see the press statement by the ANC; they say it's not declared, I say here it is, it's declared," Winde said. "There's the income that came back post our visit, it's declared to the public via the media, it's declared in the report to cabinet, and it's declared in this document."

The provincial government added that the donation was only received six months after the trip was undertaken.