Parliament’s oversight committee on public service and administration on Monday said it had noted with concern media reports alleging that Minister of Public Service and Administration Faith Muthambi flew 30 members of her family and friends for the department’s budget vote, which cost the public almost R300 000.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend the minister’s guests allegedly included her son, sister, aunt and mother and former controversial SABC board chairperson Ellen Tshabalala.
“The committee’s concern arises in the context of austerity measures implemented by the National Treasury in relation to budget vote programmes. The committee will urgently engage with the department to ascertain if there was such expenditure and the rationale behind the expenditure,” the committee said in a statement.
The parliamentary committee said it would probe allegations of unfair recruitment processes in the department after it was also reported Muthambi hired dismissed SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s 21-year-old daughter and a Limpopo police constable as her personal assistant without adhering to prescribed processes.
“The committee reiterates its principled stance that prudent spending of taxpayers’ money must be adhered to at all times.”
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