MBOMBELA – The provincial legislature’s overspending on its catering budget in the previous financial year was in the line of fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
Spokesman Ms Zamagambu Memela-Gamede said in a statement this week that it spent R9,9 million on public participation and involvement in the 2013/14 financial year.
Lowvelder had previously reported that legislature overspent its catering budget of R5,8 million. Listed under general expenses in the notes to the annual financial statements for the period ending March 31, 2014, catering amounted to R10,8 million.
DA provincial leader, Mr Anthony Benadie, said the catering expenses excluded the State of the Province Address and sectorial parliaments which had their own budgets. But this week legislature denounced his comments, listing the events during which the funds were spent.
“(We have) noted with regret the continued media tirade by (Benadie) on the institution premised on the purported mass expenditure on goods and services and costs for catering in particular. It is now our belief that these continued denunciations are malicious and deliberately seeking to cast aspersion on the integrity of the legislature.”
Memela-Gamede listed the projects and events it catered for as, among others, seven sectorial parliaments, the official opening of the legislature and the premier’s State of the Province Address. Other events included 184 committee meetings, 23 community workshops, 23 sittings of the house, 17 select Committee on public accounts hearings and Taking the Legislature to the People for two weeks.
“Through our public participation programme, MPLs supported by our administration have travelled the length and breadth of the province to ensure that our people become involved in the business of the legislature as prescribed by the constitution.” The entity claims it achieved 89 per cent of its planned targets in 2013/14.
According to the mid-term adjustment to the budget tabled by finance MEC Mr Eric Kholwane two weeks ago, legislature received an increase of
R17 million for public participation and education. R10 million was also allocated for the IT systems in the chamber and committee rooms.
“Legislature remains committed to maintaining high standards of good governance.” Memela-Gamede confirmed that it had revised its expenditure patterns to ensure that resources were directed towards increasing support for committees.
