MPUMALANGA government incurred more than R1million costs when it launched the movie Catch a Fire in 2007 because the event was not planned for.

Now the integrity management unit in the premier's office wants Sindi Mjwara, head of the province's arts and culture department, to be charged.

The unit maintains that companies that were entrusted with event management for the movie were appointed without following supply chain management procedures.

The companies were KXP Entertainment, which provided DVD recording for R342000, Kopanang Consultant for Publicity and Marketing, which charged R123747, and Hlela Events Management which managed the event for R475961.

The total amount came to R1,2million.

It was later found that Mjwara failed to ensure that the bid was evaluated by a bid evaluation committee as required.

But Mjwara said the decision to premiere Catch a Fire was spearheaded by the office of then MEC Jabu Mahlangu, in consultation with former premier Thabang Makwetla, who is now Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

She further indicated that it was resolved at cabinet level that her department should shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the movie was premiered in the province.

She said there was no other province competing with Mpumalanga for the premiere. "Therefore we had to act swiftly to ensure that the opportunity that had presented itself to the province was not missed," Mjwara said in response to a letter from the unit asking her why she should not be charged with wasteful expenditure.

"There was no time to postpone the premiering of this movie to the next financial year due to the urgency of the matter and the opportunity that the exercise was presenting to the province and the benefits thereof," Mjwara said.