DA WILL PROBE MOKONYANE'S R700 000 NEW AGE SPLURGE

The Democratic Alliance will probe Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane's reported splurge of R700 000 on a business briefing hosted by the New Age newspaper.

According to the Star newspaper, R683 095 was paid by Mokonyane's office for the briefing. The premier's office was also invoiced for 500 guests at R801.78 per head, totalling R400 890; and four front-page advertisements at R44 070 each, amounting to R176 280 (see report).

I will be asking questions in the Gauteng Legislature on this extravagant spending which does not seem justified in terms of benefit for people in Gauteng.

The natural suspicion is that money is being funnelled to assist this newspaper because it is owned by the Gupta family who are major benefactors of the ANC and Jacob Zuma.

What value for money was there with this exercise? Public money should go to areas of greatest need, of which there are many in Gauteng.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Caucus Leader, January 30 2013

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