Free State's R11.6 million SOPA – Premier Ntombela’s turn to eat
2 April 2019
In reply to a question by the DA, the Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela indicated that the cost of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) 2019 to her department was R9 371 633.56.
If the R2 300 000 that was spent by the Legislature on this event is added to that of the Premier, then the total amount spent on this one day event is an astronomical R11 671 633.56.
In contrast, Premier Helen Zille's Western Cape SOPA cost only R101 383.75. Even the State of the Nation Adrress (SONA) cost just a quarter of this amount, namely R2.5 million.
In line with ANC cadres’ attitude of “it is our turn to eat”, Premier Sisi Ntombela did not disappoint her selected guests who attended her State of the Province Address (SOPA). As with her predecessor Ace Magashule, she ignored all calls from Treasury for government departments to implement cost containment measures by not spending money on unnecessary events.
The largest amount spent by the Premier was on catering, a whopping R4 358 776.18 followed by transport R3 069 257.22 with a media bill of R1 900 761.51 (see reply below).
This amount of money spent on boosting the egos of both Premier Ntombela and Speaker of the Legislature, Mamiki Qabathe, displays a total disregard for the people of the Free State, many of whom are unemployed and living in poverty.
The decision to hold the SOPA at Vista University is contrary to a decision by the Budget and Oversight Committee of the Legislature that indicated that the event should be held at the Fourth Raadzaal with minimum costs. The Speaker displayed a total disregard for the decision of the Budget and Oversight Committee, which implies that the amounts spent by the Legislature could be regarded as irregular expenditure.
Throughout her term of office, Speaker Qabathe has been a law unto herself, forcing the DA to take legal steps to force her to hold regular meetings of the Rules and Orders Committee. In spite of being informed by members of the Rules and Orders Committee of the decision by the Budget and Oversight Committee to minimise costs of SOPA, she blatantly ignored this and proceeded to arrange the event at Vista University in conjunction with the Premier.
The Premier and Speaker can rightly be regarded as modern day Queen Marie Antoinettes. The French queen’s infamous and insensitive comment when told that the peasants do not have bread was: “Let them eat cake”. It is clear that both Ntombela and Qabathe arrogantly regard themselves as above committees of the Legislature and care little for the plight of our people in the province. The money spent on this single event could have supplied 75 people in the Free State with RDP houses (at R155 000,00 per house).
The ANC elite are clearly out of touch with ordinary people on the ground, many of whom are unemployed, struggle daily to put food on the table and provide shelter for their families.
The people of the Free State must reject the ANC arrogance with the contempt they deserve and vote for change. Only the DA has an alternative plan for government in the Free State, a plan that aims to cut unnecessary spending and create an environment for investment that can secure a job in every home.
Question and Reply
36. Hon. R Jankielsohn (DA) asks the Hon. Premier: Ms. SH Ntombela
36.1 What was the total cost of the SOPA 2019;
36.2 What was the cost of each respective item involved with SOPA 2019; and
36.3 Who were the service providers involved with delivering each of the respective items mentioned in question two above?
RESPONSE
The total cost of SOPA Event was:
SOPA Event Management Services
(Structures, Catering etc.) = R 4 358 776.18
SOPA Event Communication through
Media = R 1 900 761.51
SOPA Event newspaper advert = R 42 838.65
Transport = R 3 069 257.22
TOTAL COST = R 9 371 633.56
The event management services was provided by Thepa Trading who is the service provider allocated to the Office of the Premier by Provincial Treasury in terms of the Events Management Transversal Contract.
The Transport service provider was Mothebe Shuttle Services who is the service provider allocated to the Office of the Premier by Provincial Treasury in terms of the Transversal Transport Contract.
The SOPA Event communication in the media was done by LesediFM, Radio 2000, OFM and Community Radio stations in the province.
The SOPA advertisement was placed in the Sunday Independent after obtaining three quotations.
Issued by Roy Jankielsohn, DA MPL and Leader of the Opposition in the Free State Legislature, 2 April 2019
