There are 122 foreign missions abroad representing South Africa and, over and above their salaries, they are receiving very generous living allowances.

The information comes after a series of 27 public expenditure reviews were conducted and, while full details are set to be released today, during his “mini-budget” speech last week, Pravin Gordhan detailed some of the findings. According to Times Live:

[The report] states that “over the past three years the rate of spending growth at foreign missions has exceeded the rate of rand depreciation. Spending growth was largely driven by higher property costs, allowances for South African staff and the growth in the number of locally recruited personnel”.

It states that “cost-of-living allowances are exceptionally generous, ranging from R600,000 to R1.3-million per year“.

Of course, one group has hit back. Department of International Relations spokesman Clayson Monyela had all the excuses:

“The allowances were determined by the Department of Public Services and Administration and were paid to cover the additional expenses associated with living and working abroad.”

Monyela said the department would make inputs on certain aspects of the expenditure review report because it relied on “irrelevant and in some cases completely false” information.

On Thursday, Gordhan told parliament that the reviews were prepared by consultants so they did not reflect the government’s position.

Monyela carried on:

This is just like chapter seven of the old National Development Plan which also made extremely flawed conclusions and recommendations. I am told that the same people who did chapter seven compiled this report, so the flaws from that report find expression in this report.

Last year, the Department of International Relations admitted that it spent about R3 billion annually on maintaining South Africa’s 122 high commissions, consulates and embassies.

I don’t know where priorities stand anymore. I mean, they already get a diplomatic passport.

It’ll be interesting to see what the report has to say – stay tuned for that.

[source:timeslive]