×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Parks Tau council spent R73 million on travel in a year, says Herman Mashaba

Johannesburg’s executive mayor Herman Mashaba says he will only authorise trips for city officials if he can be assured of a direct return on investment — as he revealed the costly expenditure of the previous administration under the ANC’s Parks Tau.

“It has come to my attention that over the past three years the previous administration in our City spent R190 million of public money on travel‚” the Democratic Alliance city leader said on Tuesday.

“In the past financial year alone‚ R73 million was spent on travel.

“...This could only have happened in an environment where travel opportunities were handed out to too many people‚ groups indulged in excessive luxury and‚ they had no regard for the value of travel to the residents of the City.

“This is coming to an immediate end.”

Mashaba said all international travel conducted by any representative of the City‚ which incurs expenditure for the City‚ must in future be approved directly by the Executive Mayor.

Sounding like the businessman he was until turning to politics‚ he added: “This will be considered on a cost/benefit analysis to the residents of the City“.

“A plan must be developed that will see costs of travel reduced drastically‚” he said. This included reviewing the size of the delegation‚ the class of hotel accommodation and the length of the trips.

“We must value certain international travel as a means to foster relations and encourage investment which will facilitate job creation – the number one priority of my administration. I pledge to only authorise international travel that will produce direct returns in terms of investment in our City and which meets our international obligations.”

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.