The Democratic Alliance (DA) has updated its Wasteful Expenditure Monitor, and the increased total now stands at R119,96 million, due largely to ongoing mismanagement and financial imprudence in the Mpumalanga province.

As part of its oversight role as the Official Opposition, the DA introduced the Wasteful Expenditure Monitor as a means of measuring the extent of the ANC government's fruitless and wasteful expenditure of public funds, and to demonstrate how often the needs of the ANC elite are put before the needs of ordinary South Africans.

The current total shows an increase of R4.29 million from last week's R115, 67 million, and is a direct result of the following incidences of overspending in government:

• As noted in the Auditor General's report of the Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority, "Theta incurred fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounting to R1 456 000 for the settlements of the legal case with a service provider.";
• From The Sowetan: "A latest report by the integrity management unit investigation shows that Mpumalanga's embattled public works head has wasted nearly R1 million... by irregularly awarding multimillion-rand contracts to undeserving companies.";
• In response to a DA parliamentary question, the Department of Higher Education has confirmed the purchase of a new R1.1 million BMW 750i for Minister Blade Nzimande, and;
• Bitou Mayor Lulama Mvimbi has acquired a new BMW X5 at a cost of R740 000.

The DA will be submitting parliamentary questions to confirm the validity of a number of other significant incidents of the ANC government's misuse of public funds. If these are confirmed, the ANC's wasteful expenditure total will jump to R190 million. The incidents we will be investigating include:

• Allegations that senior managers at the Mkhondo municipality in Mpumalanga have misappropriated more than R20million of tax-payers' money earmarked for service delivery;
• Mpumalanga Public Works head Priscilla Nkwinika has cost South African taxpayers millions of rands after failing to finalise a telecommunication tender, which, since 2006 has allegedly cost the department a minimum of R582 222,90 a month (R50 million to date - an amount that could have been saved had the Least Cost Routing tender been finalised).

The DA once again calls on government departments and members of the executive to do the right thing and, following the example of the DA provincial government in the Western Cape, implement measures to monitor and cut back on unnecessary government spending. We will continue to monitor the situation and make the necessary additions to the Wasteful Expenditure Monitor as and when they occur.

Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko MP , Democratic Alliance national spokesperson, September 7 2009

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