Minister Zikalala likes a party – at taxpayers’ expense
11 July 2023
On 23 May 2023, Minister Sihle Zikalala hosted a Gala Dinner at the Cresta Grand Hotel in Cape Town, to celebrate the ‘successful Budget Vote Debate’ held earlier that day in Parliament – and taxpayers had to settle the hefty R132 457.60 bill.
This was revealed in answers I received to questions posed to the Minister who, since his appointment as the Minister of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure on 06 March, had only made one appearance in a Portfolio Committee Meeting – that on 22 March, the day before the Budget Vote in Parliament.
Answers revealed that 130 guests were hosted at the lavish affair, made up of members of the Portfolio Committee, the Audit Committee and "key stakeholders such as entities, professional councils, identified beneficiaries of EPWP projects, young professionals and bursary holders". In short, ANC Cadres.
To add insult to injury, Minister Zikalala did not even hear the keynote address - delivered by DA Western Cape Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, Tertius Simmers - as he arrived at the function late and was busy with interviews in another room while the address was being delivered.