Why is the state spending R5-million to hand out free World Cup tickets to "stakeholders"?
Replies to Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary questions have revealed that four state entities and departments spent over R5.2-million on purchasing tickets for the World Cup. A significant portion of this amount was spent by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), who spent R 3.3-million on 2 190 tickets.
The replies revealed the following:
- SABC - R 3 332 250.00 on 2190 tickets;
- Sentech - R1 067 325.00 on 96 tickets;
- South African Post Office (SAPO) - R800 000 on 500 tickets; and
- Department of Public Service and Administration - R65 400 on 25 tickets
Effectively this means that more than R5-million has been spent by four national departments and entities on subsidising World Cup tickets. How these tickets will be allocated has not been explained. Instead, the parliamentary reply from the minister of communications attempts to hide behind the claim that "identified groups of stakeholders or representatives thereof" will benefit. What that means is anyone's guess.
The question is why those who are well-placed to be able to afford tickets are now getting state-subsidised tickets, when many ordinary South Africans have been unable to get tickets. If anyone should be getting state-subsidised tickets, it is poor South Africans who cannot afford them. Those who can afford tickets should pay their way to the matches; they should not get them free from the state, via the SABC or any other state entity.
For the SABC in particular to spend R3-million on more than 2 000 tickets for its "stakeholders" cannot be justified, given that entity's current financial status. In 2009, the SABC received a R1.4-billion guarantee from National Treasury. The guarantee was awarded with the condition that the SABC would institute cost-cutting measures.
The details that have emerged today raise a number of serious questions:
- Firstly, in issuing the directive preventing municipalities from purchasing World Cup tickets, the National Treasury classified the expenditure on World Cup tickets as irregular, as well as fruitless and wasteful expenditure and indicated that any official permitting such expenditure would be liable for it and could face charges for financial misconduct. Why would these requirements not apply to national departments and their entities?
- Secondly, in a separate parliamentary reply, the Department of Public Service and Administration specifically emphasises that stakeholders were not permitted to get tickets. Why is it that this rule is not applied equally to other departments of government?
- Thirdly, in the Department of Public Service and Administration's reply, it is stated that "tickets were allocated to employees who expressed an interest in attending the event". Again, why should the state be forking out thousands of rands on free tickets for its employees, when the public-at-large still has to pay for their tickets?
The DA will today in Parliament issue a member's statement requesting that National Treasury institute proceedings to scrutinise all purchases of World Cup tickets at national, provincial and local level.
PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 1532
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 May 2010
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY: 27 May 2010
Mr N J van den Berg (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:
Whether his department and/or any of its entities have purchased any tickets for (a) the 2010 Fifa World Cup Soccer tournament, (b) the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and (c) any other entertainment event in the (i) 2009-10 financial year and (ii) during the period 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, what has been the position in each case; if so, in each case, (aa) what is or has been the date of the event, (bb)(i) how many tickets have been purchased and (ii) why, (cc) what has been the total cost of the tickets and (dd)(i) to whom has each of these tickets been allocated and (ii) on what was the decision for the allocation of these tickets based?
NW1788E
REPLY:
I am informed that"
(a) The SABC , Sentech and SAPO have purchased tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
(aa) 11 June to 11 July 2010
(bb) (i) two thousand one hundred and ninety tickets (SABC) ; 96 tickets (Sentech) and 800 Fan Park tickets (SAPO)
(ii) stakeholder relationship building needs
(cc) R 3,332,250.00 (SABC); R1 067 325.00 (Sentech) and R800 000.00 (SAPO)
(dd) (i) to identified groups of stakeholders or representatives thereof
(ii) stakeholder relationship building needs and SAPO issued tickets to top 50 customers
(b)Sentech bought tickets for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival
(aa) 03 to 04 April 2010
(bb) (i) 15 tickets
(ii) stakeholder relationship building needs
(cc) R62 073.00
(dd) (i) identified groups of stakeholders of representatives thereof
(ii) stakeholder relationship building needs
(c)(i) SAPO bought tickets IPL Cricket Tournament
(aa) 10 - 22 May 2009
(bb) 52 tickets
(cc) R93 000.00
(dd) (i) customers
(ii) top 50 customers
(c) SAPO bought tickets for the Trinations Rugby in Cape Town and Bloemfontein, the Durban Curry Cup and the Durban Test Match.
(aa) 2009
(bb) 176 tickets
(cc) R158 500
(dd) (i) customers
(ii) top 50 customers
c. (ii) during the period 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date - none.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN REPLY
FRIDAY, 21 MAY 2010
1549. Ms A M Dreyer (DA) to ask the Minister for the Public Service and Administration:
Whether his department and/or any of its entities have purchased any tickets for (a) the 2010 Fifa World Cup Soccer tournament, (b) the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and (c) any other entertainment event in the (i) 2009-10 financial year and (ii) during the period 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, what has been the position in each case; if so, in each case, (aa) what is or has been the date of the event, (bb)(i) how many tickets have been purchased and (ii) why, (cc) what has been the total cost of the tickets and (dd)(i) to whom has each of these tickets been allocated and (ii) on what was the decision for the allocation of these tickets based? NW1807E
REPLY:
(a) GEMS purchased tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament.
(i) The tickets were purchased in the Scheme's 2010 financial year which commenced on 1 January 2010 and ends on 31 December 2010.
(aa) The date of the event is 16 June 2010 (20 tickets) and 17 June 2010 (5 tickets), for the match between South Africa and Uruguay at Loftus Stadium and the match between France and Mexico at Polokwane respectively.
(bb)(i) 25 (category 3) tickets were purchased.
(bb)(ii) The tickets were purchased for staff members to support the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament and the South African Soccer team and also forms part of the Scheme's team building initiatives for staff members. The Scheme annually allocates a budgeted amount to a staff team building event to celebrate the Scheme's inception and achievements, i.e. member growth, unqualified audit reports, successful AGM's etc. In view of the 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament and patriotic considerations, the annual teambuilding budgetary provision in 2010 was allocated to purchase ticket for employees to attend the World Cup Soccer tournament in 2010 (i.e. a new or additional provision was not created).
(cc) The total cost amounted to R 65 400.00.
(dd)(i) The tickets were allocated to employees only. No tickets were allocated to trustees, independent committee members or any of the Scheme's stakeholders.
(dd)(ii) The tickets were allocated to employees who expressed an interest in attending the event.
The MPSA is still investigating this matter and will revert to the Hounorable Member.
(a) GEMS did not purchase tickets for the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in the (i) 2009-10 financial year or (ii) during the period 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date for which information is available.
(b) GEMS did not purchase tickets for any other entertainment event in the (i) 2009-10 financial year (ii) or during the period 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date for which information is available.
(c) The MPSA is investigating the whole purchase and will respond in due course
Statement issued by Niekie van den Berg, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of communications, June 2 2010
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