Cops spend R1m on catering

In less than two months R1m had been spent by police management on catering and just under R90 000 on entertainment, it emerged in a reply to a parliamentary question.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who released the reply, was highly critical of the expenditure and has promised concerted action over what is considered a waste of public funds.

"I am not happy with the amounts spent, particularly on entertainment, and will be looking into this matter," he said.

"I believe police management must be held accountable for spending the department's budget and I intend to do this over the next two months."

Out to lunch

Mthethwa said entertainment included lunch meetings with colleagues, foreign delegations and-or other individuals in and outside the public sector.

There was also catering related to costs for functions like lekgotlas, workshops, indabas, training sessions and for other government bodies and official commissions.

This goes against a number of cabinet directives to departments to cut down on non-essential spending such as entertainment, unnecessary travel and accommodation.

Spokesman Zweli Mnisi said police management needed to be held accountable for the expenditure.

"Those whom we find to have grossly violated internal policies will obviously have to face the law in terms of disciplinary procedures," Mnisi said.

"This is taxpayers' money and they need to make sure that there's a return on the taxpayers' investment."

Last year, R22m was spent on catering and R2.5m on entertainment.

Source: Sowetan via I-Net Bridge