Premier's birthday ads slammed

2008-10-20 22:13

Durban - Newspaper advertisements congratulating KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sbu Ndebele on his 60th birthday were on Monday slammed by opposition parties.

Inkatha Freedom Party leader Lionel Mtshali said the party was "appalled by the latest round of advertisements which celebrated, at the taxpayers' expense, Premier Sibusiso Ndebele's 60th birthday".

The advertisements, placed by some of the provincial government departments, including finance, in newspapers last week, were described by Mtshali - himself a former premier - as "unnecessary opulence".

Mtshali said that birthdays were "private matters and as such should not involve any government expenditure."

He pointed out that his during his tenure as premier there were no adverts for his birthday.

The Democratic Alliance's KwaZulu-Natal caucus leader Roger Burrows said spending on birthday adverts was a violation of every budget passed by the provincial legislature.

"What is even more galling is that the finance department, which is supposed to be monitoring expenditure, is one of those who have placed such adverts.

"On a positive note, it is to be celebrated that this is Ndebele's last birthday that we, the KZN taxpayers will have to pay for!" he said.

Ndebele would be stepping down as premier next year.

According to a statement by finance department spokesman Zodumo Mbuli the department was "not aware" of how much government money had been spent on the premier's birthday advertising.

"The department thought that we were doing this as a contribution to the internal publication (of the provincial government). We did not know it was for the advertising feature for which we were supposed to pay.

"In realising this, we have had to seek the assistance of a private company to replace, by sponsorship, our costs toward this advert. Unfortunately the sponsor is not happy to be named."

Premier Ndebele described the attacks by opposition parties as "politically cheap".

Asked his opinion on taxpayers' money being used for the birthday advertisements, he said: "The advert was not placed by the office of the premier. Please direct your queries to the relevant departments."

- SAPA