Government ticket purchases being watched

22 June 2010, 10:23

Taxpayers' money used to buy WC tickets
Ministry denies World Cup ticket claim
State entities struggle to explain tickets
DA slams Cup ticket splurges

The Taxpayers' Movement of SA (TPM) is closely following the issue of World Cup tickets it claims were purchased with taxpayers' money.

"We note that political parties and trade unions have lodged complaints with Treasury, and we are aware that Treasury has referred the matter to the Auditor General, so we will be monitoring the outcome," the non-political watchdog said in a statement on Tuesday.

The TPM would like to see the rest of government respecting Treasury's stance on the issue and, if necessary, would take the matter up with authorities.

Government employees needed to remember they were only custodians of taxpayer's money.

According to replies to parliamentary questions, five state departments had spent a total of R10.9 million, while the Industrial Development Corporation had spent a further R12-million on World Cup tickets.

"This R23-million could have built 460 RDP houses, or paid for 230 nurses' salaries for a year, or educated 2300 children for a year."

It would take one middle-class taxpayer 328 years of personal tax to pay for these tickets.

"The SABC is said to have spent R3.3-million on World Cup tickets and this is an entity which has been so mired in a financial crisis that the government has had to bail it out to the tune of R1.47-billion using taxpayers' money, and commissioning of local programmes has been on hold for two years, with independent producers at the risk of closing down due to lack of payment."

Sentech had spent R1.04 million on 96 tickets - R10 833 per ticket.

The trade and industry department had spent nearly R5 million on "around" 320 tickets, which if correct made them the costliest tickets of the lot.

"Based on Sentech's lack of budgetary restraint, we would oppose any further tax funding of the signal regulator." - Sapa

The Star

Comments by Sonny

The government should keep their dirty grubby hands off tax payer money...

This is not Travel Gate - This is Kyk Gate!

These clowns are not interested in Soccer, they just want to bunk work on a free-BEE!

When Soccer history is made tonight, what will be their excuses to watch games?