Over the past few weeks, the government departments financial results have been doing the rounds in Parliament and, amongst other findings, it was revealed that local goverment has spent R4,67 billion on food, entertainment and travel and accommodation.

The financial results, for the year ending 31 March 2012, showed that the 34 state departments collectively spent R4,67 billion on what are ultimately non-essentials. The breakdown was as follows:

• R194 million for catering
• R31,7 million for entertainment
• R4,4 billion for travel and accommodation

Of all the departments, defence (R780 million of which R733 million was travel and accommodation), the police (R685 million) and justice (R454 million), incurred the highest costs, accounting for almost R2 billion in expenses.

DA MP Dion George called the expenditure a “disgrace” that was “totally unacceptable”.

The DA will send a formal request to the minister of finance to issue a statement in which government departments are asked to stop spending money on luxuries.

Wasting money in this manner amounts to negligence, during times in which poor South Africans are struggling to put food on the table.

[Source: News24]