Friday, October 7, 2011

Wasteful expenditure rises 1,600%

October 4 2011

A review of the latest national government departments' annual reports reveals that more than R427.4 million has been incurred in fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the 2010/11 financial year.

Democratic Alliance (DA) national spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko said this was a 1600% increase from last year when, according to the Auditor-General's Report on National Audit Outcomes, the figure stood at R26.6 million.

A list of expenditure deemed wasteful and fruitless by the Auditor-General in the annual reports of national departments showed the following amounts wasted:

Home Affairs - R334,640,000;
Rural Development & Land Reform - R73,406,000;
Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries - R12,199,000;
Health - R2,556,000; Basic Education - R376,000;
Communications - R1,438,000;
Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs - R336,000;
Correctional Services - R6000;
Economic Development - R27,000;
Justice & Constitutional Development - R849,000;
Police - R771,000;
Public Enterprises - R4,000;
Public Service & Administration - R311,000;
Science & Technology - R110;
Social Development - R7,000;
Transport - R12,000;
Water Affairs - R369,000.

Mazibuko said that had reasonable care been exercised, this R427 million could have been directed towards improving the livelihoods of thousands, as it could have built about 7,000 houses, 10 new schools, and could provide salaries for 2,500 teachers.  

In July 2010, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe announced that a task team would be established to prepare recommendations for Cabinet on wasteful expenditure.

Nothing has happened.



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