Moloko Moloto
Limpopo's director-general Rachel Molepo-Modipa has spent half a million on new furniture for her office. Moloko Moloto
Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale’s office has splashed out half-a-million rand of taxpayers’ money on state-of-the-art furniture, even though the province is bankrupt.
Mathale’s government went on the shopping spree at the time the national government had called on state entities to tighten their belts during the economic hardship.
The province spent R499 000 on luxury furniture items for heads of department when they hold meetings.
A Lexington square lamp table, swivel and tilt armchair, Chesterfield sofas, a blue train tub chair, and a boardroom table and chairs.
These are some of the finer items added to the premier’s office.
The Star has seen an order from the Office of the Premier that was prepared for the Hartmann & Keppler store in Joburg, where the furniture was bought.
An official at the furniture store refused to comment.
The province said it wanted more space for its senior officials.
“The Office of the Premier has redesigned offices 433 and 434 to have a bigger boardroom that will accommodate technical clusters and (heads of department) meetings,” said provincial government spokesman Tebatso Mabitsela.
The premier’s office has a boardroom, fully equipped with decent chairs, luxurious tables and sofas.
The boardroom was used by the previous administration to hold executive meetings.
Mabitsela said the boardroom was not suitable for the bureaucrats.
“The technical cluster and heads of department meetings are currently held in the exco (executive council) boardroom, which is not in line with applicable risk-management practices,” said Mabitsela.
Limpopo was declared bankrupt by the cabinet two months after the luxurious furniture was bought.
The province was hit by budgetary and cash-flow crises, prompting the cabinet to place five provincial departments under national administration.
Limpopo, which was allocated an annual R43 billion budget, had requested a bailout from the National Treasury to pay public servants. - The Star
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Jeffrey, wrote
What´s the point having leather chairs for guests when nobody comes to visit and invest....because if it would be up to the ANC they would ban English instead of what....one of the 12 languages NOBODY speaks outside SA? English is the best language in the world.
Nkwali Ngewu, wrote
This is a disgrace! Millions of South Africans go to bed hungry on daily basis, while government officials waste tax payers money. Clearly economic downturn is a myth as far as SA government officials are concerned. Provinces are law unto themselves, and no one bothers to even check where budget allocated to provinces goes. Mr Zuma, my dear President, time has come for your cabinet to act against corruption before we become another libya - THIS MUST STOP NOW!
British Brendan, wrote
@Lesiba - I can see now - thinking to yourself "If I vote for them again, maybe this year I'll get my free house and the top paying job they promised me" Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Keep voting ANC Lesiba, and keep the dream alive...
@Lesiba, wrote
Dont worry Lesiba, they don't have plastic chairs, your leaders are way to fat from all the gravy they eat from the money thats meant to feed th poor to fit in a plastic chair and if they did they'd break them. Besides that I am not sure if you are aware but there is furniture that you can buy that is between plastic chairs and a lounge for R500,000.00 its furniture you can buy from any store and most middles class people would use it. The option isnt platic or top of the line. If there was some care of the poor or the money that does not belong to them then they could have spent R40.000 and been comfortable.
Anonymous, wrote
lets stop paying taxes, just like the other coutries and they kicked out the govemernment, fat cats will go on a diet, shrivel and die
Anonymous, wrote
lets stop paying taxes, just like the other coutries and they kicked out the govemernment, fat cats will go on a diet, shrivel and die
@Lesiba, wrote
With the job they do I expect them to sit on urine-soaked concrete floors in a jail cell
@Lesiba, wrote
Eish lets hope most of the population is not as blind and ignorant as you or we will all be living in a gigantic toilet bowel soon while our corrupt and useless leaders have solid gold toilet bowels to relieve their stuffed stomachs into.
JennyN, wrote
This is nothing new. The question is WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT ALL THIS CORRUPTION AND GREED?? Every government department is rotten to the core, local government even more so. The health service is, well, there is none, education system just as bad, billions wasted on grants that do nothing more than keep poor people poor, and breed more ignorant anc votes, who, in turn, will live on government grants from birth, through miserable life, to miserable death. Is this what the anc has to offer their poor, fool supporters? The rural supporters are not being kept informed of the shocking and ongoing greed and waste. What is going to be done about it????
@Lesiba, wrote
Seriously? So it is more important for your leaders to sit their fat behinds on comfortable chairs than for the workers to get paid? No wonder your leaders feel so comfortable on the gravy train.
Anonymous, wrote
Would the honest person who has at least half a brain in the ANC please stand up? We cant see you!
British Brendan, wrote
Is this information deemed a state secret, and if so is some journo gonna serve time for telling us about this?
Israeli Milk, wrote
These Hominoidea should be stripped naked and tied to a stake in the public gardens for all to see. What a bunch of scumbags. If i meet one of them they will be very sorry they crossed paths with us.
British Brendan, wrote
Don't know what everyone's moaning about... this is normal behaviour for an autocratic dictatorship. Gadaffi, Sadam Hussain, Adolf Hitler, etc, all did exactly the same, expensive houses, furniture and cars at the expense of their people. I assume that not a single ANC voter will complain in this forum, because you can't complain what you voted for.
tubs, wrote
i am surprised when ppl call South Africa banana republic but u r still in the country. y not bloody move out.immigrate to Australia like rest of ur bloody agents.
The Gecko, wrote
Having my meetings in extreme luxury and impressing others with my opulent office is more important than ensuring that my employees, who work their butts off for me, can put food on the table for their families. That is what the DG is saying with this move. Utterly disgusting!
@ Dick Long, wrote
Julian Frost, wrote
So, they don't have money to pay their employees, but they have enough to splash out on luxury furniture. Excuse me while I go and be sick.
carol, wrote
i actually have NO WORDS - apart from words i am not allowed to express on this social forum!!!!!!!!!!!!
madcowanc, wrote
yeah living large despite people are dying of starvation ,no decent hospital or schools but theire morals or lack of morals allow them to first fight for change of street names ,penalise incorrect wetaher predictions and their personal favourite the information act ,so as to allow them to be above the law !!!
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