Following Ntombela’s State of the Province Address that was heavily criticised by opposition parties for lacking plans on how she is going to grow the economy and address high unemployment, amongst other challenges, all eyes will now be on how her department, together with treasury, will spend their budget. The Free State Department of the Premier has in the past been under fire over fruitless, wasteful expenditure and the irregular awarding of tenders. It last year made national headlines after it was revealed at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that millions have been coughed up to fund the Gupta-led newspaper, The New Age.

It surfaced that under her predecessor, Ace Magashule, the Free State Office of the Premier spent an exorbitant amount of R79 million on this newspaper while Free State government departments spent R26 million.

It was revealed that the highest payments to this newspaper, which has now been shut down, came from offices of premiers in eight provinces with the Free State topping the list.

OFM News previously reported in 2016 that the Free State Treasury had spent more money on The New Age newspaper in three months, than what a national government department and all its entities have spent in an entire year. The Provincial Treasury had spent a total of R2.2 million on the newspaper during the 2015/16 fiscal year alone.

The newly appointed finance MEC, Gadija Brown, has nonetheless announced that eradicating fruitless and irregular expenditure in all spheres of government as well as improving services delivery in the province during her tenure is amongst some of her top priorities. She told OFM News that amongst her focus areas will be working with Cogta to address issues faced at municipal level following the recent damning Auditor-General’s report.

OFM News