“ANC Spent R1.4 Billion On Hotels And Partying During Lockdown”
According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), ANC bigwigs have been having the time of their lives since President Cyril Ramaphosa took office in May 2019.
In a statement issued on Sunday, April 24, 2022, DA MP Dr Leon Schreiber claims that ANC ministers and deputy ministers have splurged on parties, hotel accommodations, and other entertainment – at taxpayers’ expense, as usual.
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“New information obtained by the DA through a series of parliamentary questions reveals that during the past three years – which ordinary citizens mostly spent under lockdown – the ANC national government spent at least R1.2 billion in public money on accommodation, another R157 million on catering, as well as R12 million on entertainment for Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other cadres employed by national government departments, said DA MP Dr Leon Schreiber.
The DA has named and shamed cabinet ministers it claims have misused taxpayer funds to the tune of hundreds of millions of rands. Disgraced ex-ministers Dr Zweli Mkhize, Gwede Mantashe, and Dr Blade Nzimande are among those on the list, having spent more than R200 million between them. While this is a significant sum, it is far less than what several other ministers have spent.
According to the DA, the biggest offender was Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, who allegedly spent R293 million on catering, entertainment, and lodging.
“This department – which has overseen the collapse of the National Prosecuting Authority and was exposed as the posterchild for BOSASA corruption by the State Capture Commission – accounts for nearly a quarter of all taxpayer money wasted on luxuries over the past three years. The department spent an eye-watering R285 million on accommodation during a period when most South Africans were locked down and not allowed to travel,” Schreiber says.
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Following Lamola is his Tourism counterpart Lindiwe Sisulu, whose former departments – Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation – spent a total of R252 million.
“As we’ve come to expect, one of the biggest spenders of all was South Africa’s own Marie Antoinette, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Over the past three years, the departments of human settlements and water and sanitation – which she oversaw for most of that period – blew a combined R252 million. This included over R200 million for accommodation and over R50 million for catering.”
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s department spent R149 million on catering, entertainment, and accommodation, while Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s department spent the same amount on catering, entertainment, and accommodation. Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries, is also on the list, having spent R137 million.
