State capture getting increasingly serious as government’s irregular expenditure amounts to nearly R50 billion

2 November 2017

The latest figures released by the Auditor General (AG) indicate that in the past year the government squandered a shocking R45,6 billion on irregular expenses, this goes to show that the rate at which the state purse is being plundered is increasing drastically because the state capturers know that their time is running out, says adv Anton Alberts, chairperson of the FF Plus.

He adds that the government’s money is clearly getting less so that is why there is this apparent dash to plunder whatever is left in the state purse.

According to adv Alberts, things can get a lot worse seeing as the audit has not yet been completed and it is estimated that the amount may rise to R65 billion.

“It is obvious that the government and government officials have no restraint and that the race to the bottom of the fiscal pit is on. The lack of accountability and prosecution of those that are guilty is scandalous.

“There is no longer any hope left that the leaders of the ANC will put a stop to this. All of this is happening right under the nose of the Vice-president and thus far he has done nothing, except for making empty promises, to bring the piracy to an end.

“The extent of the government’s spending of tax payers’ money comes into sharp focus when compared to the amount of R79 billion, which is what the Transnet pensioners initially claimed from Transnet. Just more than half of the funds of the amount claimed was squandered by the government in a single year.

“If there was no plundering, then half of the Transnet pensioners’ claim could have been covered. In the future, the government would also have been able to save money to, amongst other things, pay off SANRAL’s e-toll debt, strengthen the government employee pension fund by investing more money in it, and create a sovereign fund to save up money for difficult times ahead.

“However, the ANC government knows very little, if anything, about planning ahead,” says adv Alberts.

Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus chairperson and parliamentary spokesperson: Finance, 2 November 2017