Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma’s office has come under fire from the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) for failing to plan properly, which led to the Presidency racking up a bill of R28 million in unauthorised expenditure for Zuma’s trips locally and abroad, and salaries for extra staff members.
Scopa told senior officials in the Presidency on Tuesday that if they had planned on time, they would not have incurred the additional costs on their budget.
Deputy director-general in the Presidency Busani Ngcaweni said the unauthorised expenditure for 2010/11 had been due to unforeseen circumstances.
This included the trips Zuma undertook during a time to mediate in Libya, Central African Republic and attending the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa summits.
In addition, Zuma created an additional Ministry of Planning in the Presidency in that period, which needed new staff members to man it.
In the unauthorised expenditure for 2010/11, a total of R20m was for goods and services, and these included foreign and local trips by Zuma, as well as lawsuits against him.
Zuma’s office also paid R8.1m in salaries for employees for his expanded office.
DA MP Alf Lees described the explanation as unsound, saying the issues were fudged.
He said the Presidency should have used the adjusted budget during 2010/11.
He said in the transition from the previous administration to the new administration in 2009, there could have been budget adjustments for extra costs.
Mkhuleko Hlengwa, of the IFP, said his party wanted a breakdown of the costs for the unauthorised expenditure before Scopa can approve it.
“We need the details. The management of the transition. We know South Africa is a stable democracy, I see no reason why forward planning could not be taken into account,” he said.
Shaik Emam, of the National Freedom Party, also questioned the lack of planning by the Presidency that led to unauthorised spending.
Ngcaweni maintained they were operating in a complex environment that was difficult to predict at times.
He said they would provide Scopa with a breakdown on every cent spent on Zuma’s trips, salaries of extra staff, legal costs, and other goods and services.
He said the financial statements have been audited by the auditor-general.
Cape Times