POLL | Should Bheki Cele's assistant pay back R450k spent on RWC trip?

08 December 2023 - 12:00 By SINESIPHO SCHRIEBER
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Police minister Bheki Cele's costly trip with his assistant to the Rugby World Cup final in France has ruffled feathers. File image.
Police minister Bheki Cele's costly trip with his assistant to the Rugby World Cup final in France has ruffled feathers. File image.
Image: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais

Police minister Bheki Cele’s trip with his executive assistant to the Rugby World Cup final in France, on which SAPS spent nearly R500,000, has sparked debate about whether it was wasteful expenditure.

The minister, in a question and answer session in parliament, revealed SAPS spent R446,339 for his executive assistant to attend the final. Cele's expenses were paid by a private company, but SAPS also spent R33,256 for his stay in France. This makes the total expense R479,595. 

Civil rights group Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse's (Outa) CEO Wayne Duvenage told TimesLIVE the minister should be called to account for the money spent by the department on the trip.

The standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) should probe SAPS spending, whether due processes were followed in approving spending for the sports event, he said..

“We have a government that is broke but finds it fit to spend money in this manner,” he said. “R500,000 makes a difference in a department where police officers are struggling with resources. It could buy about two new vehicles that could have been put to good use and could have saved a life.” 

Presenting the SAPS budget earlier this year, Cele described it as one that would ensure police respond decisively and vigorously to their constitutional mandate. 

“To prevent, combat and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of the republic and their property and to uphold and enforce the law,” he said. 

For 2023/2024, SAPS had a budget of R102.13bn. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) had R357m. 

Since September, the National Treasury has warned government departments about budget cuts. Sunday Times reported cuts were expected to affect the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and its Investigating Directorate.

Legal expert Llewelyn Curlewis, from the University of Pretoria, warned that budget cuts for the NPA were a recipe for disaster, saying it was already struggling. 

Over the years, funding and resources have been highlighted by policing experts as a hindrance in policing and the justice cluster.

Many people on social media criticised SAPS for the France trip funding, decrying wasteful expenditure. 

TimesLIVE


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