GAUTENG PREMIER MUST ANSWER FOR CREDIT CARD ABUSE

Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane must account for credit card abuse as revealed in today's Beeld newspaper following a high court application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

According to Beeld, Mokonyane had dined in local and international restaurants, paying up to R16 000 for a single "dinner meeting" (see report).

In October 2011, she spent R2585 at the Salvatore Ferragamo luxury leather goods boutique during a trip to Milan.

Beeld reported that infrastructure development MEC Qedani Mahlangu spent R7309 at a leather goods boutique in Istanbul.

Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe reportedly spent more than R160 000 in one year, primarily on entertainment, fuel and car maintenance, even though his annual package includes a car allowance.

The DA has repeatedly requested details of credit card expenditure, but only vague replies were given to our questions and we have referred MEC Qedani Mahlangu to the Gauteng Legislature's Integrity Commissioner Dr Mgijima for refusing to respond to the DA's PAIA request.

Mokonyane has also ignored the DA's PAIA request for details of her credit card expenditure, and now we know why.

I am referring the latest revelations to Dr Mgijima, who must deal with it the same way as he did with former Local Government MEC Humphrey Mmemezi who was forced to resign afer he was found to have abused his credit card.

The DA proposes that all government credit cards be abolished, as is the case in DA-run Western Cape.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Caucus Leader, March 5 2013

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