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The recent revelation of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture's expenditure to the tune of R16 million on a one-day event to honour three Grammy Award-winning musicians is clearly wasteful expenditure. Such a lavish spending spree, in light of the current cost of living crisis facing South Africa should be cause for great concern.

In a written parliamentary question, the DA demanded transparency regarding the number of guests invited and a breakdown of the total expenses incurred for the event, including the costs of the venue, sound, food, music, and the company that secured the tender. Unfortunately, Minister Zizi Kodwa's response was both disappointing and shocking.

According to the minister, the event had a relatively small attendance of 360 people. However, the staggering amount of R16,097,000 spent on the occasion raises serious concerns about the department's financial priorities.

It is crucial to emphasize that this expenditure was not within the department's allocated budget. The decision to allocate such a significant sum to a single event, without proper justification or oversight, demonstrates a lack of responsible financial management. As representatives of the public, we believe that taxpayer funds should be used judiciously to address pressing issues in this department, such as sport development and funding.

In light of Minister Kodwa's failure to address our initial questions adequately, we are left with no choice but to pursue further clarification through follow-up questions to the ministry next week. We are determined to hold the government accountable for its spending decisions and ensure that wasteful expenditure is curbed, enabling resources to be allocated more effectively for the betterment of all South Africans.

Issued by Tsepo Mhlongo MP - DA Shadow Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture