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DOC loses R2m

Farzana Rasool
By Farzana Rasool, ITWeb IT in Government Editor.
Johannesburg, 30 Jul 2012

The Department of Communications (DOC) suffered monetary losses of more than R2 million, as at 31 March.

Having earlier described these losses as payments for financial assets, communications minister Dina Pule, in response to a question in the National Assembly, said these assets are actually monetary losses suffered by the department.

Included in these losses is an amount of R1.27 million spent on fraudulent international calls made on the department's private automatic branch exchange (PABX) system.

“The matter was referred to the State Security Agency for investigation. The outcome was that perpetrators could not be identified and [it was] recommended that the matter be closed,” said Pule.

Cancellation costs

She added that a voice recorder costing R1 000 was left in an office and could not be accounted for.

Also, R327 000 was spent on recruitment advertisements that were placed in newspapers. Interviews for these positions were never conducted due to an “organisational re-alignment process”.

The cancellation of printing services no longer required was also written off, at a cost of R8 000.

No shows

Flight and accommodation cancellation fees cost the department R26 000. Pule said the cancellations were due to several reasons, like the prioritisation of services, as well as unforeseen circumstances.

The department also lost R41 000 on accommodation arranged for delegates who are not employees of the department. The delegates from community radio stations were supposed to attend a workshop.

“Some delegates arrived a day after the booking was made. All rooms were utilised except for late arrivals of which the hotel charged the department cancellation fees.

“Training was organised and three officials did not attend.” Pule explained that legal opinion obtained recommended that the amounts incurred be written off as the loss resulted from unavoidable causes.

No negligence

Some R11 000 was spent on insurance excess payments for departmental vehicles involved in accidents. An additional payment of R4 000 was made for excess, after a departmental vehicle was involved in an accident.

“A rented ministerial vehicle was involved in an accident and a legal opinion from the state attorney indicated there was no negligence/recklessness and no one could be held responsible for that,” added Pule. This damage cost the department R425 000.

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