R6.6 BILLION WRONGLY SPENT IN GAUTENG

According to the Auditor General, the Gauteng government racked up irregular, unauthorised and wasteful spending of some R6.6 billion during the 2010/2011 financial year.

Irregular spending (among departments and public entities) amounted to R4.8bn, unauthorised spending totalled R1.4bn and there was R400m in wasteful spending. Financial management is seriously deficient for this situation to exist.

The figures for Gauteng represent some of the highest in the country. For example, of the R16.8bn that the AG counts as irregular, well over a quarter is accounted for by Gauteng.

The worst offender in the province was the Department of Health and Social Development which accounted for nearly R1.2bn in unauthorised expenditure, over R2.2bn in irregular expenditure and close to R218m in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

This is literally a life-threatening situation, given that our poor citizens have no option but to depend on the department for medical care.

Close behind is the Department of Roads and Transport. Its irregular expenditure came in at R2.2bn. This will be especially galling to the province's motorists who have to deal with the shocking state of our roads and the impending toll system.

All of this is a wake-up call for the province and its stated intent to achieve clean audits by 2014.

Fortunately, the DA-run Western Cape has again proven itself a model of good governance, achieving standards of financial excellence that we call on Gauteng to emulate.

Statement issued by Glenda Steyn MPL, Democratic Alliance Gauteng, January 17 2012

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