South Africa’s government continues to burn through tax payers money when it comes to consultants, travel and catering,\u00a0having spent\u00a0R23 billion on these things in the 2014\/15 financial year.<\/p>\n
This is according to the DA, which applauded the fact that the sum was at least 8% or R2 billion less than the figure of R25 billion in 2013\/14.<\/p>\n
The political party noted that the former Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, introduced \u201cbelt-tightening measures\u201d during his Medium Term Budget Statement in 2013.<\/p>\n
The belt-tightening measures were aimed at slashing the amount spent on consultants, travel and catering in 2013\/14 in all departments, constitutional institutions and public entities.<\/p>\n
Read: This is how much of your money the government is wasting<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Replying to a parliamentary question the Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, revealed that total amount spent by departments on consultants, travel and catering in 2014\/15.<\/p>\n The savings by departments\u00a0 was broken down as follows:<\/p>\n The DA said it welcomed government’s efforts to cut its spend, however this only represents an 8% saving on the total amount.<\/p>\n “What this suggests is that some departments are resisting the implementation of cost containment measures and are failing to comply with National Treasury Instruction 01 of 2013\/2014<\/em>.<\/p>\n I will, therefore, be writing to the Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, requesting him to provide me with a breakdown of the savings of each department on consultants, travel and catering in 2014\/15 compared to 2013\/14.<\/p>\n We need to identify the big spending \u201cbad apples\u201d which are refusing to tighten their belts and deal with them in Parliament.<\/p>\n Municipality spends R120,000 on Nando\u2019s and KFC<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Unused police station costing taxpayers R100 million<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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