Cronin's response on R75-million transport conferences indicative of ANC government's propensity to plunder

The Democratic Alliance's (DA) yesterday raised concerns over the Department of Transport's remarkable decision to spend R75.7-million on four conferences, including R12-million on VIP shuttle services, and countless more millions on freebies and perks for the visiting delegates. In response to this the Deputy Minister of Transport, Jeremy Cronin is being quoted as saying that South Africa was obliged to spend this money, and he has accused the DA of being mischievous.

Cronin's response is problematic for a number of reasons, in a way that is generally indicative of the ANC government's flagrant disregard for the continued wastage of public funds on lavish parties and luxuries, while millions of South Africans continue to live in abject poverty, and while serious service delivery and infrastructural backlogs continue to exist.

It makes no sense at all for the Department of Transport to spend R75-million on these conferences, while South Africa's infrastructure programmes are under-funded and with the South African road network is in an advanced state of disrepair, with road maintenance backlogs across all three spheres of government amounting to around R164 billion. It is also downright nonsense to argue that, because there might have been an obligation on South Africa to host these events, that we necessarily needed to spend R75-million on them. We cannot continue to spend R27-million on events like the Special Africa-India Ocean Regional Air Navigation Meeting, which was not even attended by the minister of transport. How does the deputy minister, in any case, justify buying bags, gifts and t-shirts for transport ministers from neighbouring countries, and offering them VIP lounges and VIP shuttle services, while there are entire stretches of road in South Africa that are potholed and out of service?

The assertion that the DA communicated the information mischievously is itself mischievous. The statement we issued was a verbatim representation of the information contained in the parliamentary reply from the Department of Transport. The reply revealed, as reported, that between 2007 and 2009, four conferences were hosted by the Department of Transport at a cumulative cost of R75.7-million, and that costs included:

• R125 363 at one conference on "promotional material" such as "bags, gifts, t-shirts".
• One conference offered "VIP lounges at airport and refreshments" at a cost of R104 319, and gave each AU staff member a R489 800 per diem.
• R300 000 was spent at one conference on "correspondence material" for delegates". At another conference, R137 484 went to "computer trolleys, folders, pens, conference bags".
• R12-million was spent between all four conferences on "VIP and delegate shuttle transfers" and similarly named shuttle and road transport services.
• At one conference, R16-million went to "coordinating the events, invitations, RSVP, branding, staffing, media coverage, printing, welcoming function and gala dinner."
• Between two of the conferences, R2-million was spent on various types of video and photography. R859 697 at one of the conferences went to "photography, videography, broadcast and décor"; another spent R1.1-million on "video and photography".
• Enormous amounts were spent on advertising. At one conference, R1.7-million went to "branding and media relations". Another spent R588 282 on "branding" including "banners, design, logo, invitations, leaflets, menu, agenda, directional signage, décor for cocktail party and gala dinner, plants for marquees and landscaping"
• R456 000 went to stage production at one conference; R623 676 was spent on "entertainment" at another.
• R5.4-million was spent at one conference on "accreditation centres, marquees, kitchen, operation rooms..."
• One conference spent R 1.5-millon on "conference equipment, IT, stand, sound, stage".

What, Mr. Cronin, is mischievous about stating facts?

The ANC government needs to stop finding excuses for throwing lavish junkets, and diverting public funds away from the eradication of the many problems currently facing South Africa.

Statement issued by Stuart Farrow, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of transport, March 11 2010

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