MBOMBELA – The provincial legislature spent R10,8 million on catering in the previous financial year.
Mr Anthony Benadie, DA member of the legislature, noted that according to its annual report, this exceeded the budgeted amount for 2013/14 by 85 per cent.
“The original budgeted amount was R4,6 million. In September 2013 the legislature applied for an adjustment to its budget which was approved and it was increased to R5,8 million. This points to the fact that they were already aware that expenses were escalating out of control,” Benadie said in a statement.
The catering expenses exclude the State of the Province Address and sectorial parliaments which have their own budgets. “Ironically, the vast majority of members and employees can actually afford to pay for their meals.”
This year, a total of R10,2 million has been allocated for catering in the legislature’s budget. Yet, the DA says it is expected that it would get an additional R1,1 million next week when finance MEC Mr Eric Khowlane tables the province’s adjustment budget.
Speaker Ms Thandi Shongwe recently announced that the catering budget had to decrease by more than R5 million come March 2015.
