STATEMENT BY IAN DAVIDSON MP
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE CHIEF WHIP
5 FEBRUARY 2010
Wasteful expenditure: posh parties propel ANC government's wasted public funds total to
R606 million
Replies to parliamentary questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) have revealed that three more national departments last year spent close to a million rand (R810 889) on posh parties to celebrate the appointment of new cabinet ministers instead of getting on with the job. (Replies available on request)
The three departments are:
|
Department |
Minister |
Cost of party |
|
Transport |
Mr Ndebele |
R342, 812 |
|
Arts and Culture |
Ms Xingwana |
R56, 000 |
|
Mineral Resources |
Ms Shabangu |
R412, 077 |
If one adds these unnecessary and self-indulgent costs to the ANC's ongoing wasteful expenditure, the total of our wasteful expenditure monitor, keeping track of the government's frivolities, now stands at a frightening R606 million.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele's appointment was marked with a bash attended by 650 guests at a cost per head of R527. A cost breakdown shows R250 532 spent on event equipments and logistics, R27 930 for audio equipment and sound, as well as R64 350 for catering.
Other departments which saw fit to fritter away public money were the Departments of Arts and Culture and the Department of Mineral Resources, although the Department of Mineral Resources claims most of the R412 000 allocated for the festivities was sponsored.
With gross underspending on areas like provincial and local government, the cost of these parties, R810 889, could have been far better spent.
In the second month of a new year the wasteful expenditure hangover of 2009 continues unabated, gathering new costs to propel it further down its seemingly unstoppable path of reckless spending and wasted public funds, bringing the total to R606 million wasted by the ANC government.
Statement issued by Ian Davidson, MP, Democratic Alliance chief whip February 5 2010
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