Government splurged R30bn on consultants

National and provincial government spent more than R30 billion on consultants and outsourcing in the last financial year, according to a report.

The defence department was the biggest spender, paying R3bn for contractors and outsourced services, City Press reported on Sunday.

The newspaper examined the 2013/2014 annual reports of 115 out of 131 government departments and established that   R30,5bn had been spent on consulants.

A total of R33.7bn was spent in the 2012/13 financial year.

The human settlements department was the most improved, decreasing its consultant spending from R102 million in the previous financial year to R42m in 2013/2014.

KwaZulu-Natal spent R5bn, the most of all the provinces, on consultants. It was followed by Gauteng, with over R3.2bn, and the Eastern Cape, with over R3.1bn.

In 2013, then finance minister Pravin Gordhan warned government departments against over-spending on consultants to perform functions that should take place in-house.

Public service and administration department director general Mashwahle Diphoga told the newspaper: "We are concerned but not alarmed".