‘Spendthrift’ Faith must pay up – Cosatu

Labour federation Cosatu has joined the call for Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi to pay back an estimated R300 000 of taxpayers’ money she allegedly spent to transport her family and friends to attend her department budget vote speech in parliament recently.

Reports said among her guests were her son, sister, aunt and mother and former SABC board chairperson Ellen Tshabalala.

Muthambi is one of President Jacob Zuma’s loyalists in the state establishment and is notorious for undermining parliamentary oversight processes, taking advantage of her close proximity to the president.

The minister is also facing high treason and corruption charges laid against her by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse for revealing secret cabinet information to the Gupta family.

But the fact the minister is aligned to the powerful office does not sit well with Cosatu, which accused Muthambi of abusing her position by flying 30 people using the taxpayer’s money.

Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said Cosatu wants nothing short of an investigation into the allegations against Muthambi.

“She must pay back the taxpayers’ money and should be disciplined for her indiscretions,” Pamla said.

Cosatu also demanded answers to allegations of nepotism by the minister, who was not only known for lavish entertainment of her relatives at the taxpayers’ expense, but is notorious for hiring people from her Vhembe region in Limpopo.

Among her staff is a Limpopo police constable whom Muthambi hired as her personal assistant and daughter of former SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

“We find it bothersome that at a time when millions of poor people are struggling to survive and when public servants are being told about government’s austerity measures, the minister is splurging on her family without constraints,” Pamla said.

According to Pamla, the lack of accountability and consequences for nefarious activities by some ministers was proof political loyalty was valued more than efficiency.

“This supports the view that our current leadership is dishonest and cynical; and that the Batho Pele principles have been banished to the limbo of forgotten things,” Pamla said.

Cosatu warned Muthambi that workers will remember her wasteful expenditure during the next public service wage negotiations at the end of the year. – ericn@citizen.co.za