Science and Technology splurges over R1 million on pot plants

01 July 2014

The Department of Science and Technology has spent R1 074 429 on "the maintenance of indoor plants" within the past five years, a reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed. 

According to the reply, the Department spent: 

R487,710.12 between 2009 and 2011;

R225,796.47 during the 2011/12 financial year;

R240,555.96 during the 2012/13 financial year;and

R120,278 during the 2013/14 financial year.

Disturbingly, the Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, confirmed that her Department has already spent a further R90 000 on indoor plant maintenance this financial year, and intends to spend at least R380 000 this financial year.

I will write to the Chairperson of the Science and Technology portfolio committee, Bevan Goqwana, and request that Minister Pandor be summoned to Parliament to account for her department's skewed priorities.

Other departments with offices across the country such as the Department of Tourism have managed to keep their pot plant expenditure for the past five years below R20 000.

A department spending over a R1 million on pot plants for a single building over the past five years is simply unjustifiable and a clear waste of state resources.

The DA will continue to hold government to account for skewed spending priorities, so that every cent can be used on ensuring that we deliver quality services to our people. 

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO.191

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: (17-06-2014) (INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 01 -2014)

"157. Ms TZ Hadebe (DA) to ask the Minister of Science and Technology:

1) What are the details of all the costs of the maintenance of the pot plants in her (a) departmental offices and (b) official residence (i) in the (aa) 2009-2010-11,(cc) 2011-12, (dd) 2012-13 and (ee) 2013-14 financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2014;

2) In respect of the pot plant maintenance, (a) what is the (i) address and (ii) name of the office where they were, are displayed, (b) for whose benefit are these pot plants, (c) what was, is the value of the maintenance of these pot plants in future?"

NW241E

REPLY:

1(a) The expenditure incurred for the maintenance of indoor plants supplied to the DST building is broken down as follows:

(i)(aa) 2009-2010-11 (R487,710.12).

(cc) 2011-2012 (R225,796.47).

(dd) 2012-13 (R240,555.96).

(ee) 2013-2014 (R120,278).

(ii) 1 April 2014 (R90,000).

1(b) Auxiliary Services would like to indicate that the department does not supply indoor plants to the Official Residence of the Minister and that this function lies with the Department of Public Works.

2(a)(i) The indoor plants are currently procured for the Department of Science and Technology, located at Building 53, CSIR Campus, Meiring Naude Road, Pretoria.

(ii) The indoor plants are displayed at the reception area, pause areas, open plan areas and cellular offices.

(b) All DST officials benefit from indoor plants.

(c) The value for the maintenance of pot plants in the coming year can be estimated at R380, 000.

Statement issued by Annelie Lotriet MP, DA Shadow Minister of Science and Technology, July 1 2014

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