ActionSA will write to the Speaker and the Deputy President, requesting an urgent probe into Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, for misleading Parliament in her submission of potentially manipulated or ghastly negligent and inaccurate information regarding ministerial travel expenditure, as requested in our parliamentary question.
In response to ActionSA’s parliamentary question, which outlined several pointed queries regarding travel expenditure and the corresponding details, it is clear that the figures do not add up. The discrepancies raise serious doubts about the accuracy of the information provided by her department.
In the first instance, the Minister’s international travel expenses were reported as R633 430.62, yet the actual total, when tallying the line item totals for her international travel, stands at R588 610.62. Similarly, staffing travel expenses were reported as R210 135.00, a figure that significantly underestimates the actual total of R556 897.82.
When correctly tallied, the department’s total travel expenditure over the four-month period amounts to a staggering R1 355,640.44, far exceeding the R843 565.62 the department reported. If basic travel numbers are fudged, what does this mean for the rest of the department’s R2.4 billion budget?
ActionSA believes that it is vital that Parliament probes whether these errors are a result of gross incompetence or if the Minister is deliberately obscuring even higher expenses. Both scenarios are deeply troubling and undermine the very essence of Parliamentary oversight.
Concerningly, this pattern of providing unreliable information to parliamentary questions is emblematic of an executive that views oversight as a nuisance rather than a cornerstone of accountability. ActionSA has previously raised the issue of non replies and inadequate parliamentary responses with both the Speaker and the Leader of Government Business. This case is yet another example of the poor quality of responses provided.
As our ongoing exposés reveal, the total figure for travel expenses by ministers continues to balloon, underscoring the urgent need for reform of the current provisions for executive members perks. ActionSA reiterates its call for:
1. The abolition of deputy ministers, a streamlining of the cabinet to approximately 20 ministers, and a revision of the ministerial handbook.
2. Stricter regulations on travel expenses for government officials
3. Mandatory disclosure of travel class and justification for costs exceeding predetermined thresholds.
4. Comprehensive audits of travel arrangements to identify potential wastage.
5. Prioritisation of local engagement and the use of digital platforms for international collaboration where possible.
ActionSA will not relent in holding the executive to account and pushing for the meaningful reforms South Africa desperately needs. These reforms must begin with government respecting the taxpayers and tightening their belts and not squandering their hard-earned money on extravagant travel and other perks.
Minister of Small Business Manipulates Travel Expenses: Are Inflated Numbers Being Hidden?
ActionSA will write to the Speaker and the Deputy President, requesting an urgent probe into Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, for misleading Parliament in her submission of potentially manipulated or ghastly negligent and inaccurate information regarding ministerial travel expenditure, as requested in our parliamentary question.
In response to ActionSA’s parliamentary question, which outlined several pointed queries regarding travel expenditure and the corresponding details, it is clear that the figures do not add up. The discrepancies raise serious doubts about the accuracy of the information provided by her department.
In the first instance, the Minister’s international travel expenses were reported as R633 430.62, yet the actual total, when tallying the line item totals for her international travel, stands at R588 610.62. Similarly, staffing travel expenses were reported as R210 135.00, a figure that significantly underestimates the actual total of R556 897.82.
When correctly tallied, the department’s total travel expenditure over the four-month period amounts to a staggering R1 355,640.44, far exceeding the R843 565.62 the department reported. If basic travel numbers are fudged, what does this mean for the rest of the department’s R2.4 billion budget?
ActionSA believes that it is vital that Parliament probes whether these errors are a result of gross incompetence or if the Minister is deliberately obscuring even higher expenses. Both scenarios are deeply troubling and undermine the very essence of Parliamentary oversight.
Concerningly, this pattern of providing unreliable information to parliamentary questions is emblematic of an executive that views oversight as a nuisance rather than a cornerstone of accountability. ActionSA has previously raised the issue of non replies and inadequate parliamentary responses with both the Speaker and the Leader of Government Business. This case is yet another example of the poor quality of responses provided.
As our ongoing exposés reveal, the total figure for travel expenses by ministers continues to balloon, underscoring the urgent need for reform of the current provisions for executive members perks. ActionSA reiterates its call for:
1. The abolition of deputy ministers, a streamlining of the cabinet to approximately 20 ministers, and a revision of the ministerial handbook.
2. Stricter regulations on travel expenses for government officials
3. Mandatory disclosure of travel class and justification for costs exceeding predetermined thresholds.
4. Comprehensive audits of travel arrangements to identify potential wastage.
5. Prioritisation of local engagement and the use of digital platforms for international collaboration where possible.
ActionSA will not relent in holding the executive to account and pushing for the meaningful reforms South Africa desperately needs. These reforms must begin with government respecting the taxpayers and tightening their belts and not squandering their hard-earned money on extravagant travel and other perks.