MOKONYANE OUTSPENDS MMEMEZI ON CREDIT CARD

Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane spent a whopping R196 000 in one year on her government credit card when she was MEC for Housing.

This is revealed in a written reply to my questions by current Housing MEC Ntombi Mekgwe.

According to Mekgwe, Mokonyane spent R195 638 in 2008 for "accommodation on local business trips, renting cars whilst on official local trips, catering for several official meetings and workshops".

Mekgwe says that all these purchases "were in line with applicable guidelines from the Ministerial Handbook", but did not give specific details of every purchase as requested in my questions. This makes me suspicious that some of these purchases would embarrass Mokonyane if they became public.

Mokonyane spent a lot more as Housing MEC than her successor in this position, Humphrey Mmemezi, who resigned in disgrace after spending R124 000 on his credit card in 2011, most of which he had to repay because it contravened the Ministerial Handbook. This included a R10 000 painting bought through a McDonald's restaurant.

Mmemezi has claimed that former MECs of his department, including Mokonyane, had cases to answer concerning misconduct in the department. His was quoted as saying: ‘‘I am being painted black as the worst one, when MECs before me have not paid, they are protected. Even the Democratic Alliance does not check others who were MECs before me, they are only targeting me."

I will submit an application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get full details of Mokonyane's credit card spending when she was Housing MEC.

We need to know that credit card spending by MECs is above board, without extravagance and wastage, such as the R96 000 that Paul Mashatile spent as Gauteng Finance MEC in June 2006 on a dinner at the posh Auberge Michel restaurant.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Caucus Leader, October 11 2012

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