National
Manuel: Difference between parastatals and state departments─── 17:25 Mon, 05 Jul 2010
A distinction should be made between parastatals and state departments spending money on World Cup tickets. This, according to Minister Trevor Manuel after an outcry over state entities spending millions on soccer tickets. Manuel says parastatals are business entities that need to make profits by engaging on a social level with clients. He says "We mustn't hyperventilate when the national airline takes tour operators and builds a relationship with them, because that is building the business. Manuel says when you take a local authority or a government department and they spend taxpayers' money on themselves it's a different issue. Sunday papers reported that Eskom spent R80 million on World Cup tickets. SAA spent R23m. The Free State government and the Mangaung municipality spent almost R22m on tickets.
Sapa
