Gauteng MEC for Local Government and Housing Humphrey Mmemezi used his government-issued credit card to buy an artwork worth R10 000 from burger chain McDonald’s.
The initial transaction was disguised to indicate the purchase of R10 000 worth of burgers.
The R10 000 would buy 256 Big Mac burger meals with large chips and a Coke at R38.95 apiece.
Documents seen by The Star indicate that Mmemezi used his government-issue FNB credit card at the McDonald’s in Silverton, Pretoria, last October.
The money was authorised into a Nedbank account belonging to the restaurant.
The Star was informed that the same amount was transferred to another Nedbank account belonging to Art Unusual, an artwork shop in Pretoria.
Sources said this transaction enabled Mmemezi to get an artwork worth that amount from the shop’s branch in Kempton Park.
Art Unusual manager Alfred Addo confirmed to The Star that Mmemezi had bought the artwork from the shop, but said: “It was not for his personal use, but was for his office.”
Addo insisted that the department, not Mmemezi, had paid him, but failed to reveal how the transaction had been concluded, saying all of that had been handled by his accountant.
“I am just an artist. I did the painting and now know that the department paid me.”
Mmemezi has a R50 000 credit limit on his credit card.
He earns more than R1 million annually and enjoys the benefit of a medical aid and car allowance.
Mmemezi’s office has been unable to explain this McDonald’s expenditure.
In March, the DA’s spokesman on local government and housing, Fred Nel, sent a question relating to the McDonald’s expenditure to the Speaker of the legislature.
Nel also wanted Mmemezi to explain the total expenditure of this credit card last year. He wanted Mmemezi to give a breakdown of purchases he had made last year.
Nel asked: “What was bought for R10 000 at McDonald’s in Silverton on October 12, 2011? What was the justification of this purchase? Why was this artwork bought through a McDonald’s branch, and was all expenditure in line with the guideline concerning the use of credit cards?”
Mmemezi wrote a letter to Gauteng legislature Deputy Speaker Steward Ngwenya, asking for an extension. He was granted the extension until April 25, but failed to meet the deadline.
Mmemezi has still not provided an answer.
The Star asked him the same questions.
His office replied that Mmemezi’s departmental credit card was to be used “when discharging his duties”.
Local Government and Housing head of department Mongezi Mnyani said the credit card issued to Mmemezi had been used mainly for paying for transactions linked to his work as allowed by the guidelines of the Ministerial Handbook.
From time to time, Mmemezi had paid for “all transactions made with the credit card that were for personal use”.
However, the local government and housing department failed to provide proof that Mmemezi had reimbursed the government.
The Star is in possession of proof that the provincial government had been footing Mmemezi’s credit card bill since he took over as MEC in November 2010.
He has used the credit card in various restaurants in the former Transkei, Durban, North West and various other parts of the country.
He bought ladies’ ribs for four from Steers in Estcourt a month after he took office.
Mmemezi started to pay back money used via the credit card after the DA submitted questions to the legislature about his credit card splurge.
He made two payments this year. On April 21 he made an initial cash deposit of R33 000, and another payment of R40 000 on the same day.
The Star