Monitoring ministers rack up car-hire bills

The minister of performance monitoring and evaluation Collins Chabane and his former deputy Dina Pule have spent more than half a million rand between them on car hire, according to a Parliamentary reply.

8 Dec 2011

(Image: GCIS)

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP "Sej" Motau had sent a question to Chabane asking about car hire and the costs for the past year.

Chabane is a minister in the Presidency and is responsible for the performance and evaluation of government departments especially on their ability and efficiency in delivering services.

Pule was Chabane's deputy minister until Jacob Zuma reshuffled the Cabinet in October, and is now the communications minister.

According to Chabane's answer, between March 22 and July 31 he spent more than R159 000 on car hire. Roughly R3600 for each of the 44 days the vehicles were hired.

Pule spent almost R400 000 on car hire over 156 days, which equalled a care hire spend of almost R2500 per day.

"Reckless spending by cabinet ministers continues to be condoned by government on the grounds that it complies with the provisions of the ministerial handbook. This handbook allows ministers to live a life of luxury at the expense of ordinary South Africans," said DA shadow public service and administration minister Geordin Hill-Lewis.

He accused the ministry of public service and administration of continuing to delay the release of the promised amendments to the handbook, which means that such expenditure continues unabated.

"The minister of public service and administration, Roy Padayachie, must ensure that the long awaited amendments to the ministerial handbook are presented and implemented as a matter of urgency, so that cabinet's excess can finally be curbed," Hill-Lewis said.

Source: I-Net Bridge

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