MBOMBELA – The Office of the Premier has distanced itself from information officially provided to legislature by the Department of Public Works Roads and Transport (DPWRT) on the vehicles in his office’s use.
Mr Zibonele Mncwango, spokesman for the premier, says a senior official of DPWRT responded to the questions posed by the DA without verifying it with the Office of the Premier.
Lowvelder reported last week that discrepancies existed between the official answers provided to the provincial legislature in response to written questions pertaining to how many cars have been purchased for use of his office since 2009 when Mr David Mabuza first took office. Questions for oral or written reply are an important mechanism for legislature members to hold the executive to account.
But according to DPWRT’s answers submitted to legislature, six cars totalling R6,2 million have been purchased for use by the Office of the Premier, while the premier’s answers show there was only five.
Mr Anthony Benadie, DA MPL, has since written to the Office of the Speaker requesting her to investigate the differences.
“In view of the fact that questions by members are a vital tool in conducting oversight and holding the executive to account, answers from the executive, including the premier, must at all times be honest and accurate.”
Mncwango says the DPWRT’s response “lacks critical information pertaining as to who provided the vehicles and for what; and because of this distorted information the Office of the Premier was not afforded an opportunity to contextualise the information.
“We are hoping the department will take corrective measures to avoid confusion caused by misinformation in future.”
