The Department of Human Settlements splurged more than R10-million on flowers and gifts for staff members during the 2014 election year.
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu revealed this in a written reply to parliamentary questions by DA MP Solly Malatsi last month that went unnoticed until now.
The reply shows that the sum was forked out in the 2013-14 financial year when political parties were campaigning fiercely.
Observers now suggest that the money was used to bolster the ANC's campaign as spending under the same budget plummeted drastically in subsequent financial years.
Malatsi wanted to know the total amount spent on flowers, donations and gifts in the past three financial years by Sisulu's department and entities such as the Estate Agency Affairs Board, Social Housing Regulatory Authority and other agencies that report to her.
In her response, Sisulu said the department spent R10,241,089 in the 2013-14 financial year. This dropped dramatically in the 2014-15 year, to R497,076, and to just above R452,000 in 2016.
Sisulu said the department bought flowers for officials in hospital and those who had family bereavements.
"Further, in the reply provided below, we include purchases of flowers for staff members who were hospitalised and their bereaved families, which does not necessarily qualify to be regarded as gifts. The department also purchases gifts when the minister meets with foreign delegations or her counterparts," said Sisulu.
In a response to Sunday Times queries, Sisulu's spokesman, Ndivhuwo Mabaya, said the expenditure was a result of a policy of "gifting" provinces as part of the Govan Mbeki Awards, which recognise best-performing provinces and municipalities.
"But that policy of gifting money has stopped," said Mabaya.
He distanced Sisulu from the spending, saying it had happened before she became minister. "You'll remember the minister was not there. She was at DPSA [Department of Public Service and Administration]. The minister only came to human settlements on May 1 2014, after the financial year. The minister also raised this issue. We were all bothered," said Mabaya.
Connie September was the minister at the time of the expenditure.
Sisulu, one of the candidates campaigning to replace President Jacob Zuma, refused to divulge the names of people and officials who received the gifts, saying the rules of parliament prevented her.
Malatsi said the only conclusion was that the R10-million spent in one year was used to bolster the ANC's campaign during the 2014 general elections.
"It also had to do with the lead-up to the elections. One can only conclude that it went to aiding the ANC's campaign. It's a drastic reduction the following year. It's about a 1000% reduction," said Malatsi.
It was "quite extraordinary" that the department spent more than R10-million on non-housing delivery expenses while millions were homeless.
"This lack of prudence is a heartless ignorance of their plight," he said.
People involved in government construction said R10-million was enough to build 100 RDP houses, which on average cost R100, 000 each.
Mabaya dismissed the DA's allegation that the money could have been used to bolster the ANC's election campaign. "Unless the DA is arguing that on the other side of provinces the money was then used for elections, which we don't believe. I hear the suspicion of the DA, as you understand she [Sisulu] was not there, and the [chief financial officer] explained."
Ralph Mathekga, director of research at the Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection, said he also suspected the expenditure was linked to the ANC's campaign.
"One way or another, it creates an impression that it is tied up to the election. For me it is a reasonable suspicion which the minister will have to explain what actually happened. It's a lot of money," said Mathekga.
"It's too much of a radical departure and it has to be explained. This can't be seen as a normal functioning of the budget. It raises a suspicion that in the year of the election you have such big expenditure."
Sisulu said the National Home Builders Registration Council had a similarly high expenditure of R506, 033 on flowers and gifts in 2013-14. Then it spent R234000 on such things the following financial year...