Posted on

Gauteng Blows R1.6 Billion On Legal Expenses

R1.6 billion in Legal Expenses

The Gauteng provincial government has incurred more than R1.6 billion in legal expenses over the past five years.

More than R684 million of this was incurred in the 2015/16 financial year alone.

A consolidation of legal fees for the provincial government over a five year period has revealed that from the 2011/12 financial year to 2015/16 the spend on this item has increased by 390%.

The biggest spender in the 2015/16 financial year was the Department of Health, whose legal costs increased from R238 million to R569 million – making up the bulk of the year’s legal fees.

Excessive Legal Costs

Excessive legal claims and legal fees are a natural consequence of an uncaring and inefficient government that forces citizens and suppliers to take legal action.

As a result Gauteng’s most vulnerable, the poor and unemployed, are being penalised by delayed service delivery due to budgetary constraints.

It is an indictment on Premier, David Makhura’s administration that during a period of severe austerity and cost containment measures that the provincial government can waste millions of rands because it fails to honour its Constitutional mandate.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Mike Moriarty MPL

DA Chief Whip in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

082 492 4410

[Image source]

Posted on

Gauteng Department Of Roads And Transport Legal Fees Killing Service Delivery

Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has spent over R705 million in legal fees to defend itself from having to pay out claims amounting to R2 million.

In a reply to questions about costs incurred with regards to claims against the department for damages incurred using provincial roads, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, indicated that over a three year period the department has successfully defended itself in 78 cases at a cost of R705 million in legal fees.

Excessive Legal Costs

Click here to view the reply.

A further 126 claims were paid out by the department to the tune of R1.2 million at a cost of R28 million.

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is notorious for incurring excessive legal costs. Claims against the department at the end of the 2015/16 financial year amounted to R1.3 billion.

MEC Vadi must take effective measures to ensure that his department fulfils its mandate efficiently to reduce the ever increasing costs it has to bear in defending itself. Action must also be taken against officials in the department who are responsible for failures and are the root cause of the excessive waste of public funds meant to improve service delivery.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Mike Moriarty MPL

DA Chief Whip in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

082 492 4410

[Image source]

Posted on

Gauteng Doubles Spend On Legal Services

Gauteng Premier David Makhura

The DA will put questions to Gauteng Premier David Makhura demanding he explain why the Gauteng provincial government has almost doubled its legal expenses for the 2015/16 financial year.

A consolidation of all provincial government departments’ annual reports shows that legal fees have skyrocketed from R469 million in 2014/15 to R881 million in 2015/16.

The biggest spender is the Department of Health, whose legal costs increased from R238 million to R569 million.

This could only be as a result of increased medical negligence claims against the department and its callous MEC, Qedani Mahlangu.

Austerity Measures

The Department of Education spent R42 million on legal fees and services (up from R27-million), while the infrastructure development department incurred R46 million.

Excessive legal claims and legal fees are a natural consequence of an uncaring and inefficient government that forces citizens and suppliers to take legal action.

As a result Gauteng’s most vulnerable, the poor and unemployed, are being penalised by delayed service delivery due to budgetary constraints.

Premier David Makhura and his ANC government has spent millions advertising clean audits in Gauteng on expensive billboards, but the fact is that it’s a smokescreen to cover up the reality that the provincial government is still not delivering.

It is clear that Gauteng is on the wrong track as it is meant to carry out austerity measures to ensure that people receive the services they deserve.

 

Media enquiries:

Mike Moriarty MPL

DA Chief Whip in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

082 492 4410

[Image source]

Posted on

Gauteng Premier Has No Political Will To Fight Corruption

Gauteng Premier David Makhura

Gauteng Premier David Makhura today tried to spin his way out of questions demanding why so few government officials were criminally charged for financial misconduct, while others remain largely unpunished during the 2014/15 financial year.

The DA quizzed the premier over findings by the Public Service Commission (PSC) that only 3% of provincial government officials involved in 122 cases of financial misconduct amounting to R67 million are facing criminal charges.

In his reply, the premier claimed that criminal charges could only be pressed once internal disciplinary and appeals processes were finalised, despite promising on numerous occasions that he would take a tough stance on corruption.

The War on Corruption

The premier is wrong. If criminal conduct is suspected, criminal charges must be laid, and police must investigate.

There is no legal precedent that forces government to complete internal procedures before pressing criminal charges – unless the premier doubts the police’s ability to sufficiently investigate such charges.

The premier also completely misinterpreted the PSC’s findings by claiming that 3% of the 122 were successfully prosecuted, when in fact only criminal charges were pressed.

While trying to paint a picture of his administration being at the forefront in the war on corruption, the picture that emerged was that of a premier ill-prepared and out of touch with reality.

Today the truth finally emerged. Premier Makhura does not have the political will to fight corruption and cannot deliver on his promises of the past 17 months.

The question now is how many other promises will be broken.

 

Media enquiries:

Mike Moriarty MPL

DA Chief Whip in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature

082 492 4410

[Image source]