Durban - An amount of R750 000 spent on transport for 500 athletes who are set to represent the eThekwini Municipality in sports games has drawn the fury of opposition parties, which describe the amount as “absurd”.
The figure is part of R4 million requested by the city’s community and emergency services committee last month to prepare for the South African Local Government Association (Salga) games.
The event will be held in the Ilembe District Municipality from December 11 to 14.
A summary of the report says the funding is “in recognition of a holistic, sustainable and integrated sport development programme”.
This programme, it says, seeks “to nurture talent in an endeavour to strengthen partnerships with federations and create opportunities for sport development”.
City spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa provided information about the process involved in hiring vehicles, but side-stepped The Mercury’s query as to the fleet rate per vehicle.
But according to a city fleet employee, who said he did not want to be identified as he was not permitted to speak to the media, the unit charges R2 160 for eight hours, or R270 an hour.
He said that the R750 000 “sounds a bit astronomical”.
Based on the rates quoted, The Mercury’s calculations indicate the city would have to spend about R300 000 to transport the delegates in 23 22-seater buses.
Ilembe is about 70km away from Durban.
Mthethwa said: “The rate is determined by calculating City Fleet’s total operating costs and amortises the recovery of the cost over the fleet of vehicles available for hire.
“This rate is increased on the macro increase parameters that are provided as guidelines in the annual budgeting process.
“The current hire rate of the 22-seater bus fleet is based on an hourly rate, which includes the vehicle hire rate, fuel costs and so on.”
Team eThekwini will consist of “approximately” 400 athletes, 60 officials, managers, coaches and 40 politicians who will attend the games.
The report also requests that “authority be granted for the ordering of appropriate playing and training kits and equipment… including bags, caps, skirts, shorts, shirts and tracksuits”.
A breakdown of the R4m budget indicates R1.3m would be spent on accommodation, R550 000 on catering, R900 000 on clothing and R400 000 on “games preparation”, and a further R100 000 would be set aside for “contingencies”.
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said his party had always supported the games “because they are budgeted for”, but he said they would be “probing the figures”.
DA councillor Andre Beetge described the expenditure, during a recent council meeting, as bordering on theft.
He noted that the figure for clothing could be “acceptable”.
“Even accepting that the buses could be air conditioned, a 65-seater luxury bus with a toilet, a TV and DVD player and everything conceivable to transport athletes in a radius of less than 100km,” spending more than R3 000 a day per bus was exorbitant, he said.
“Anyone can see that the figures are inflated.”
He questioned the integrity of “those who had put together these figures”.
The Mercury