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In reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) question, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLF) has admitted to spending R300 000 - from the pockets of taxpayers and at the cost of service delivery - on a ‘project launch' celebration party. The DA questions the necessity and value of hosting this lavish party when millions of South Africans are tightening their belts to survive the global recession. The reason provided for the party was the launch of The Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) which claims to create ‘vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities'. If the department has any hope of achieving this objective they should start by practicing what they preach as a brazen R300k party is in no way ‘equitable' and flies in the face of sustainability, which requires the responsible use of resources over an extended period of time.
The costs of the party are as follows:
• R64 000 - Catering
• R38 600 - Travel and accommodation
• R197 562.50 - Event logistics (tents, chairs, sound equipment and stage)
This party, paid for by the Limpopo Premier, demonstrates a complete lack of financial responsibility as other government departments implement austerity measures to curb wasteful and over-expenditure. In response to a series of parliamentary questions from the DA that revealed rampant misspending in government departments, including luxury cars, the DA welcomes the KZN Health Department's pledge to save R500million by March 2010, by cutting spending on travel, entertainment, car hire and advertising, among other things. The DA will be asking the Department how it plans to achieve its objectives when it has already started out on the wrong foot and whether it thinks the R300 000 was well spent when it has such a mammoth task of creating sustainable rural communities.