Can we afford to spend R1-billion a year on government travel?

Democratic Alliance (DA) research has found that foreign travel by ministers, deputy ministers and national department officials has increased to just shy of R1-billion over the past financial year, and that, despite being in the midst of an economic recession during this period, travel expenditure across all national departments increased by nearly 20%, year on year. Our study also serves to highlight questionable examples of overseas travel, including items such as the Minister of Defence's attendance of the inauguration of the Library of Timbuktu.

Using data from departmental reports, we have calculated that total government expenditure on official trips increased from R823 million in 2007/08 to R978 million in 2008/2009. For the period under review, national ministers undertook no less than 474 overseas trips, while deputy ministers undertook 169 overseas trips.

Out of the 31 departments whose expenditure was reviewed, 21 recorded an increase in travel expenditure for the 2008/09 financial year. 16 departments recorded significant increases, that is, over 25%. One showed a 200% increase, four over 100% and nine over 50%. Details of the changes in travel expenditure for each national department are provided below, ranked from the biggest percentage increase to the biggest percentage reduction:

• Public Service Commission: R1 million (2007/08), up 200% to R3 million (2008/09)
• Arts and Culture: R19 million (2007/08), up 111% to R40 million (2008/09)
• Human Settlements: R5 million (2007/08), up 100% to R10 million (2008/09)
• Rural Development and Land Reform: R1 million (2007/08), up 100% to R2 million (2008/09)
• Health: R22 million (2007/08), up 68% to R37 million (2008/09)
• The Presidency: R12 million (2007/08), up 67% to R20 million (2008/09)
• Labour: R6 million (2007/08), up 67% to R10 million (2008/09)
• Public Service and Administration: R8 million (2007/08), up 63% to R13 million (2008/09)
• National Treasury: R14 million (2007/08), up 57% to R22 million (2008/09)
• Transport: R7 million (2007/08), up 43% to R10 million (2008/09)
• Defence and Military Veterans: R163 000 (2007/08), up 39% to R227 000 million (2008/09)
• Water and Forestry: R8 million (2007/08), up 38% R11 million (2008/09)
• Social Development: R14 million (2007/08), up 36% to R19 million (2008/09)
• Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: R3 million (2007/08), up 33% to R4 million (2008/09)
• Trade and Industry: R46 million (2007/08), up 30% R60 million (2008/09)
• Science and Technology: R15 million (2007/08), up 27% R19 million (2008/09)
• International Relations and Cooperation: R239 million (2007/08), up 17% to R279 million (2008/09)
• Environment and Tourism: R26 million (2007/08), up 15% to R30 million (2008/09)
• Public Enterprises: R10 million (2007/08), up 10% to R11 million (2008/09)
• Minerals and Energy: R23 million (2007/08), up 9% to R25 million (2008/09)
• Agriculture: R21 million (2007/08), up 5% to R22 million (2008/2009)
• Public Works: R1 million (2007/08), 0% change to R1 million (2008/09)
• Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy: R1 million (2007/08), 0% change to R1 million (2008/09)
• Justice and Constitutional Development: R96 million (2007/08), down 3% to R93 million (2008/2009)
• Police: R61 million (2007/08), down 7% to R57 million (2008/09)
• Education: R9 million (2007/08), down 11% to R8 million (2008/09)
• Communications: R13 million (2007/08), down 15% to R11 million (2008/09)
• Correctional Services: R4 million (2007/08), down 25% to R3 million (2008/2009)
• Independent Complaints Directorate: R7 million (2007/08), down 43% to R4 million (2008/09)
• Sport and Recreation: R6 million (2007/08), down 50% to R3 million (2008/09)
• Home Affairs: R55 million (2007/08), down 84% to R9 million (2008/09)

Travel costs are obviously part and parcel of running a government, but we believe there are far too many instances in which ministers are attending events that seem to bring ordinary South African precious few benefits. In the 2008/2009 financial year alone, here are some of the lavish events that ministers were treated to:

·         Inauguration of the Library of Timbuktu in Mali - attended by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans in January 2009;

·         Liberian International Colloquium on Women Empowerment and Leadership Development - attended by the Minister of Minerals and Energy in March 2009;

It is difficult to see how attending the inauguration of the Library of Timbuktu, for instance, could really be a priority for a government facing the massive socioeconomic challenges that confront us every day in South Africa. What is even less explicable is that we managed to spend R1-billion on travel at a time that coincided with the worst of the economic recession.

Our research has also found that, during 2008/09, many ministers have spent prolonged periods outside of the country on their travels. These include the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (106 days out of the country), the Minister of Finance (103 days), The Minister of Agriculture (83 days), the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans (82 days) and the Minister of Social Development (70 days). Again, we understand the need to attend important international conferences, but for numerous ministers to spend one third of a year outside of the country seems quite astonishing. How do these ministers find time to run their departments?

We will be submitting parliamentary questions on all of the above matters - to establish the cost associated with each of the trips abroad that we have highlighted, and to ascertain why some ministers were outside of the country for such lengthily periods.

Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko, MP, Democratic Alliance national spokesperson, April 29 2010

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