Government departments have defied Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and spent R10.9-million on World Cup tickets for "top managers and VIP investors".

It was disclosed yesterday that the departments of tourism, communications, science and technology, public works and trade and industry have collectively spent this amount on more than 3000 tickets.

They confirmed the purchases in response to questions in parliament by the DA' s Tim Harris, who described the expenditure as "wasteful", "potentially irregular" and in defiance of Gordhan's warning against using public funds to buy World Cup tickets.

"The purchase of World Cup tickets by government departments, in many cases to hand out on the basis of patronage, is not an acceptable way for [them] to be spending their budgets, particularly in light of the fact that thousands of South Africans have either been turned away from purchasing tickets or are unable to afford them," Harris said.

The departments revealed that:

• The Department of Trade and Industry bought 320 tickets for R4.7-million;
• Communications spent R5.2-million on 2786 tickets;
• Tourism bought 180 tickets for R918973;
• Public service and administration spent R65400 on 25 tickets; and
• Science and technology spent R25200 on 10 tickets.

Treasury spokesman Lindani Mbunyuza said the Treasury had asked the auditor-general to investigate the ticket purchases.

"Once expenditure has taken place it remains the responsibility of the auditor-general to certify whether it was fruitless or wasteful," she said.

She confirmed that the Treasury had sent circulars to municipalities and provinces earlier this year cautioning against the purchase of soccer tickets.

The circular warned: "Please be advised that any diversion of funds towards the purchase of World Cup tickets and memorabilia will be considered as unauthorised and irregular expenditure.

"Heads of department who initiate such expenditure will thus be in violation of the Public Finance Management Act, will be liable for a recovery of the relevant funds, and will have committed an act of financial misconduct."