The presidency received R6 million in legal bills for the financial year of 2010/11, against a budget of R1m for that period, Beeld reported on Wednesday. At a meeting of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday, unauthorised expenditure of around R45m at the presidency was also discussed.

Around R17m of that was incurred in the 2008 to 2009 financial period.
Two national order ceremonies reportedly led to further overspending.
Inkatha Freedom Party MP Mkhuleko Hlengwe wanted an explanation and better oversight for the presidency, which does not have a portfolio committee monitoring it.

The African National Congress said it was not Scopa’s job to monitor the presidency. Themba Godi, African People’s Convention MP and Scopa chairman said the presidency was apparently a respondent in the cases, and they were not necessarily against the president as an individual.

The presidency did not incur unauthorised expenditure after the 2010/11 period. Most of the other costs related to unexpected travel not budgeted for.
— The department of home affairs incurred unauthorised expenditure of around R1 billion over three financial years;
— The former department of women, children and people with disabilities, incurred unauthorised expenditure of R3.279m in the 2010/11 financial year.

Compulsory overseas travel for the minister and other payments not budgeted for were blamed. SAPA