Cele's indulgences: DA to request Public Service Commission investigate

I shall be writing to the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission tomorrow, to request an investigation into the decision that Police Commissioner Bheki Cele be afforded a state residence, at a cost of some R4 million to the public. It is wrong on three counts: First, it is a new residence, there is no provision that the DA is aware of which allows public money to be spent on buying new property for senior managers as opposed to members of the executive. Second, it is exorbitant, excessive and self-indulgent. And, third, there exist already a number of residences in which the National Police Commissioner could live.

It also comes against a background of massive wasteful expenditure by the SAPs leadership (see below for full breakdown). From new buildings, to luxury houses, to R4 million homes, to luxury hotel stays, to self promotional street billboards, even a water bottle with Cele's face printed on it for the SAPs Bloemfontein party- there appears nothing the SAPs leadership is not happy to splash public money on. If ever there was a case study for wasteful expenditure, it is the SAPs leadership.

It is wrong. It is unethical. It needs to stop.

The DA has been well aware of the National Commissioner's home for some time- it has already been listed on our Wasteful Expenditure Monitor. Reports today expose the fact that real figure has been raised by an additional R1,2 million to cater for Commissioner Cele's personal choice of furnishings.

This expenditure is yet another symptom of the leadership of the Police Department's approach to the management of public funds- allocations for themselves and not prioritizing resources for the vital fight against crime. The new administration of the SAPS has a history of wasteful expenditure on self-serving and self-indulgent items. We shall be adding the furnishings to our Wasteful Expenditure Monitor.

The list below details some of these items.

Breakdown of the Department's luxury spending:

· BMW X5 3.0D - Bought by Minister Nathi Mthethwa - Cost: R 685 091.00 - The price includes extras, such as reverse cameras; navigation system; sport suspension; sunroof; and electric seat adjustment.

· BMW X5 3.0D - Bought by Minister Nathi Mthethwa - Cost: R 677 270.00 - The price includes extras, such as reverse cameras; navigation system; sport suspension; sunroof; and electric seat adjustment

· BMW 740i - Bought by Deputy Minister Fikile Mbalula - Cost: R 832 700.00 - The price includes extras, to the value of R35 800.00, including a rear view camera, ceramic surround for controls, ambient interior lighting, adaptive headlights, high beam assist, lane departure warning and lane change warning.

· Mercedes-Benz ML500 - Bought by Deputy Minister Fikile Mbalula - Cost: R 759 529.00 - The price includes extras, to the value of R48 079.00 and which included an off road package, media interface, privacy glass, multi-contour seat package and ext. spare wheel carrier

· 66 days at the Table Bay Hotel - Departmental officials benefiting: Minister Nathi Mthethwa and eight officials - Cost: R 234 875.67 - The hotel offers five star accommodation. The Minister stayed in the Presidential Suite for one night and four body guards in luxury rooms for four nights.

· Intermittent residence at the Durban Hilton Hotel - Departmental officials benefiting: Minister Nathi Mthethwa and various officials -

Cost: R 570 000.00 - The hotel offers five star accommodation.

· A new 'official residence' - Departmental officials benefiting: National police commissioner Bheki Cele - Cost: R 3 374 092.00 - According to reports, several less luxurious official residences were available in Silverton.

· Billboards with giant photos of the Minister - Departmental official involved: Minister Nathi Mthethwa - Cost: R 315 000.00 - 10 billboards across South Africa which display photos of the Minister's face and the words, "Come Fifa 2010 World Cup. We are ready"

· Furnishing for National Commissioner's 'official residence'- Cost: R1, 2 million

The National Crime Statistics, released this week, allowed us all to be cautiously optimistic about the advances we are making in the fight against crime, especially given the overall decline of the murder rate. However, much still needs to be done and in order to complete the job, the Police Department and the National government should be allocating every available resource to that purpose, not indulging themselves and their personal tastes.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of police, September 12 2010

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