The ANC has approached the public protector to probe the DA-run City of Cape Town for what it labelled “wasteful” expenditure in hosting the ill-fated Cape Town Cup.

The party’s Western Cape branch has asked Thuli Madonsela to investigate expenditure into the soccer tournament hosted at Cape Town Stadium over two days in July, EWN reported on Friday.

The tournament reportedly cost R33m to host, with international clubs Crystal Palace and Sporting Lisbon receiving R12m each from the city to participate in the event.

The competition was poorly attended, with ticket prices originally ranging from R200 to R400 before being drastically reduced closer to match dates.

The ANC’s chief whip in the city Xolani Sotashe told EWN that the party would go to great lengths to hold the coastal city’s accountable.

The city’s executive director of tourism, events and marketing, Anton Groenewald, resigned shortly after the tournament’s conclusion over the massive losses.

Councillor Garreth Bloor, mayoral committee member for tourism, events and economic development, told Fin24 in August that Groenewald “realised that the leadership of the City is held to account when money is lost. That is why he resigned”.

The Auditor-General is also investigating the tournament, while Cosatu called for Mayor Patricia de Lille’s suspension over the matter.

Sporting Lisbon won the tournament with a 2-0 final win over Crystal Palace, Sport24 reported. Ajax Cape Town and SuperSport United were the two other local teams in the competition. News24