Ex-MEC losing no sleep over R2m
2009-12-22 16:14
Durban - Former KwaZulu-Natal sports MEC Amichand Rajbansi on Tuesday said he is losing no sleep over his R2m travel claims as the money was spread over five years.
This comes after the Democratic Alliance revealed that between April 2004 and March 2009 Rajbansi claimed for R2m in travel expenses.
“If you add my salary over five years it would come to a large amount. They (DA) are twisting figures. I am pleased with my figures and I am losing no sleep over it,” said Rajbansi who is also the leader of the Minority Front.
The figures were released by the KwaZulu-Natal department of arts and culture in response to a parliamentary question by the DA’s George Mari which indicated that Rajbansi claimed R2.1m for travelling during the five year period.
“It is mind boggling that Rajbansi continues to persecute Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu and other provincial MECs over their inflated travel claims when he himself is guilty of the same excessive conduct.
"Clearly this practice was acceptable to him as an MEC, yet now that he finds himself out in the cold he has decided to take the moral high-ground,” said Mari.
In November it was reported that Mabuyakhulu received an average of R100 000 a month for using his private car for government work.
Rajbansi responded to this by saying he used R400 000 a year compared to Mabuyakhulu who received R350 000 for three months.
However, Mari said: "The figures are astonishing and are yet another indication of the exorbitant amount of taxpayers' money that is being forked out on MECs' travel claims.”
He added: “The DA is committed to changing this arrangement and will continue to lobby, at every opportunity, for a revised system.”
Rajbansi criticised the DA for misleading the public and challenged them to reveal the travel claims of Roger Burrows, who was a member of the DA and former KwaZulu-Natal MEC for economic development and tourism.
- SAPA
