Wasteful expenditure: DA concerned at reports over Shiceka's flights and hotel bills

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has noted reports of excessive spending of public money to the tune of R2.5 million by Sicelo Shiceka, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. These allegations should be the subject of an immediate and thorough investigation. If found to be true, this will bring the current administration's wasteful expenditure to R4 195 057 096, and we will be updating the waste ticker on our Every Rand Counts site to reflect this.

Today's Sunday Times reports that the Minister allegedly spent in excess of R2.5 million on first-class flights and hotel accommodation for himself, various employees, family members and friends since his appointment in 2008 (see here). This includes an amount of R695 793 for accommodation at the luxury One & Only hotel in the space of just one year, and R367 000 spent on visiting a former girlfriend serving jail time in Switzerland.

He is also reported to have spent more than R160 000 on flights for family members in just eight months. In 2009 alone, he is alleged to have taken 183 flights at a cost of R1.3 million.

The Minister is contesting these allegations, claiming that the evidence has been fabricated. Yet he has admitted to racking up a bill of R280 000 for his own accommodation at the One & Only in just one year, and to putting up at the same hotel a man he describes as his "father figure", as well as his wife, justifying this expense by claiming that it is a perk that the Ministerial Handbook allows for. Even putting aside the other allegations, this admission on its own points to gross misuse of public funds.

Considering the poverty and dire need that characterises the lives of so many South Africans, such extravagant expenditure, if true, is disturbing.

I support Independent Democrats MP Haniff Hoossen's call on the Public Protector to investigate whether Minister Shiceka is in contravention of the Code of Ethics for Ministers and Deputy Ministers. In addition, I shall be writing to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, asking him to launch a full investigation into this matter, which will include calling all relevant witnesses to give evidence before the Committee.

Statement issued by James Lorimer MP, DA Shadow Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, April 10 2011

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