Spending on sustenance and travel by departmental officials for 22 government departments jumped by about R500-million, or 44%, in 2005/06 to R1,6-billion, compared with the previous year’s R1,1-billion, according to replies from ministers to the official opposition.
Official opposition Democratic Alliance finance spokesperson Ian Davidson said in a statement on Thursday that his party has now received all the replies from a series of parliamentary questions about the amount spent by the departments on hotels, travel and restaurants for the financial year 2005/06.
Davidson said: ”This huge amount is even more difficult to explain in light of the fact that most departments face a massive and increasing skills shortage, so their expenditures should be going down, not up.”
He provided a summary of the findings: the Department of Home Affairs under Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula rose by 190% or by R95,3-million from the previous financial year 2004/05; the Sport and Recreation Department under Makhenkesi Stofile jumped by R4,9-million or by 107%; and the Department Finance under Minister Trevor Manuel rose 114% or by R66,8-million.
Total accommodation costs for 2005/2006 rose by 35%. The worst offender was the Department of Minerals and Energy — now under Minister Buyelwa Sonjica — with a 145% spike of R4,5-million from 2004/2005. The Sport and Recreation Department rose 99% or by R691 165 from 2004/2005 while the Department of Home Affairs rose 94% or by R15,1-million from 2004/2005.
Total restaurant-expense costs rose by 34% in 2005/2006. The worst offenders were: the Sport and Recreation Department with 448%, an increase of R23 376 from 2004/2005; the Correctional Services Department under Minister Ngconde Balfour with a 98% an increase of R9,6-million from 2004/2005; and the Department of Science and Technology under Minister Mosibudi Mangena with a 50% increase — or R536 960 — from 2004/2005.
Davidson commented that these were only the three worst offenders. Public Service and Administration, Transport and Environmental Affairs and Tourism all increased their expenditure by more than 50%, he reported.
”The departments should be called to account for these increases and if no good reasons are given, then any increase above the rate of inflation must be questioned.”
”It is unacceptable that the departments should spend at such a grotesque level while the country faces poverty, underdevelopment and unemployment on an enormous scale. It is a major injustice to South Africans.” — I-Net Bridge