A further R1.3m spent on car rentals
A further R1.3 million has been spent by the Public Enterprises, Correctional Services and Social Development Ministries on car hire, replies to DA parliamentary questions have revealed.
This brings the total spent on vehicle rentals by members of President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet, including Deputy Ministers, to R10.8 million between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2013.
According to the latest replies:
Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba racked up a bill of R283 166.41, and his Deputy Bulelani Magwanishe spent R200 017.73
In one instance, Minister Gigaba rented a vehicle for just 1 kilometre and paid R2 381.79 for the trip. Although the Minister argues that the rental was later cancelled, it remains unacceptable that R2 381.79 was paid for a car that was not used.
Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Magwanishe also spent R6 435.00 on a rental which was later cancelled and therefore never used. If these trips were cancelled, the funds should have been retrieved.
Bathabile Dlamini, the Minister of Social Development, spent R642 904.97 and her Deputy, Bongi Ntuli spent R142 822.79.
Minister Dlamini's highest expense was on the hire of an Audi Q7 for R80 419.16.
Minister of Correctional Services S'bu Ndebele and his Deputy Ngoako Ramatlhodi spent a total of R126 702.61.
The continued splurging by members of President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet on luxuries is indicative of a government that is not committed to cutting unnecessary costs. When he came into office in 2009, President Zuma waxed lyrical about ensuring a reduction of wasteful expenditure. In September 2009, he announced that Ministers were thinking about the recession and no longer spending large amounts of money on luxury cars. The continued expenditure indicates that President Zuma's promise has come to naught.
The DA has repeatedly called for the President and Minster of Public Service and Administration to provide the amended Ministerial Handbook promised to South Africa in 2009. We have also asked for more detail on Minister Gordhan's so-called "belt-tightening" measures - announced in October - and specifically how this is going to be enforced.
Last year, The DA requested the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), Themba Godi to launch a probe into the high expenditure on rental cars by Ministers, which is clearly being abused. We are still awaiting confirmation of such an investigation from Chairperson Godi.
The DA will continue to ensure that this wasteful expenditure is monitored and revealed in Parliament. And we will not stop in our efforts to have a new Ministerial Handbook published and implemented.
If government is committed to reducing costs and improving delivery, cost-cutting must begin at the top. It is high time that Ministers and top officials tightened their belts and put an end to the splurging.
Statement issued by Ian Ollis MP, DA Shadow Minister of Transport, January 13 2014
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