R120 million inauguration is a snub to Finance Minister
The South African taxpayer is set to fork out an extravagant R120 million for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration (see Sunday Independent report).
Today, the DA will submit Parliamentary questions to the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, demanding he justify the increased budget for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration and provide details of what measures - if any - were instituted to limit spending.
This wasteful expenditure is evidence of a government out of touch with South Africa's fragile economic condition.
Previous inaugurations from President Mbeki through to President Zuma's first inauguration are estimated to have cost in the region of R75 million.
The current cost represents a 60% increase.
In an economy growing at a slow 2%, taxpayers burdened with steadily increasing living costs, and government debt sitting at 40% of GDP, spending R120 million on a lavish party is unconscionable.
The flouting of Pravin's cost cutting measures is nothing new.
Earlier this year, the North West government, run by the ANC, vehemently defended Premier Thandi Modise's purchase of a R1.3 million luxury vehicle despite the Finance Minister's order to reduce wasteful expenditure.
No measures have been introduced to sanction the failure to adhere to the belt tightening policy. The Minister's commitment to cost cutting is proving to be little more than talk.
In the DA-run Western Cape, cost savings of over R100 million were achieved through the introduction of a new handbook adopted in 2009 which regulated the amounts spent on entertainment, cars, flights and other frills for members of the executive.
This has meant that there has been more money available for service delivery for the residents of the Western Cape.
The DA's policy is clear on cutting waste and holding ministers to account. We would:
Stop ministers from abusing public money to drive expensive cars, fly first class or with government jets, stay in luxurious hotels and have extravagant parties;
Improve accountability by strengthening the mandates and capacity and increasing the budgets of anti-corruption and monitoring bodies like the Public Protector, the Auditor-General and the Public Service Commission;and
Use lifestyle audits to make sure that politicians and public officials are able to account for the sources of their wealth.
The DA will continue to fight on behalf of the South African people and ensure the public purse is used for their benefit, and not for a select few.
Statement issued by Tim Harris, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, March 3 2014
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