DA calls on Public Protector to investigate wasteful expenditure and blatant ANC electioneering by City of JHB

5 July 2016

The DA can today reveal that the City of Johannesburg, under Mayor Parks Tau, has spent an aggregate amount of over R1 million advertising tomorrow’s End of Term Report in newspapers since the beginning of July.

This after the DA slammed Tau for wasting R13.8 million on advertising himself and his administration in newspapers between the months of April and May this year. 

We still see a number of billboards around this city amounting to excessive advertising by the City. The latest example is an enormous billboard on the M2 as you drive out of town which has a picture of Tau accompanied by the words,“14 000 small companies supported through SMME hubs”. This Billboard is one of many that have been used by the City this year, and costs an estimated R20 000 to produce and R40 000 per month to rent. 

The DA has also been informed that the City of Johannesburg is allegedly airing a radio advert in which it states that, “Joburg deserves strong leadership” and then lists Parks Tau’s CV highlights before ending by saying, “[Tau] is the right man to lead Joburg”. This is a total abuse of tax payers’ money and blatant ANC electioneering by the City.

This advertising, not linked to any matters of public importance, and often bearing the face and name of the Mayor Tau, amounts to using City resources to campaign in this election.

In light of this continued, excessive advertising, which amounts to millions of rand’s worth of wasteful expenditure and blatant ANC electioneering by the City, the DA is left with no option but to request the Public Protector to investigate the matter.

In terms of Section 6(4)(a) of the Public Protector Act, 23 of 1994, the Public Protector is competent to investigate, inter alia, any alleged maladministration in connection with the affairs of government and any abuse or unjustifiable exercise of power.

The Government Communications Policy Guidelines policy document explicitly prohibits excessive advertising, and it clear that the City is contravention of this provision. 

Section 3.3.4 on non-permissible advertising reads:

Departments should avoid misuse of public funds for advertising campaigns. Public funds should not be used for departmental advertising where:

a) The method or medium of advertising is excessive or extravagant in relation to the objective being  pursued;

b) A reasonable person could interpret the message as promoting a political party, or communicating  on behalf of a political party;

g) Members of the department are depicted in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as  excessive or gratuitous;

h) The advertising creates a perception that a campaign promotes an individual, like a minister.

This wasteful expenditure also brings into question the ANC’s commitment to conducting free and fair elections. 

This again highlights the importance of my colleague, James Selfe's MP, Private Members Bill for Free and Fair Elections. This Bill which will effectively prohibit this type of advertising during an election period, and thereby prevent the sort of abuse being witnessed in the City of Johannesburg.

Tau claims to run a clean administration, yet under his leadership we have seen gross mismanagement of public money.

In June the DA revealed exorbitant mismanagement of public money by ANC governed metros. The worst offender was the City of Johannesburg that had over R4.2 billion in unauthorised, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure in the last financial year alone.

The Auditor General also bemoaned the fact that the City had, in contravention of law, failed to investigate this money to see whether any of it could be reclaimed.

Despite my calls for the City to urgently conduct this investigation nothing came of it. One is left questioning, what is Tau trying to hide?

I again reiterate my commitment to the people of Johannesburg is that I will never use their money in this abusive way, if I am elected as your mayor.

Money should be spent on ensuring that jobs are created, and better services are delivered. This will be my priority.

This excessive advertising is an unashamed example of the ANC using the public’s money to advertise itself for the upcoming election under the guise of City advertising.

The people of Johannesburg will not be fooled by ANC rhetoric and fairytale stories. 

The ANC has lost the trust of the people after 22 years of broken promises. 

On 3 August vote for a clean government that puts the people of this city first.

Vote for change that will move Johannesburg forward.

Issued by Nkele Molapo, Media Officer,  DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg , 5 July 2016