PR-CRONIN-TRANSPORT-MILLIONS
SAPA PR--DEPUTY MINISTER CRONIN ON TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPENT M... |
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Mar 10, 2010 at 05:14 PM |
ISSUED BY: MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
ATTENTION: TRANSPORT REPORTERS / NEWS EDITORS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
10 MARCH 2010
DEPUTY MINISTER CRONIN ON TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPENT MILLIONS ON
CONFERENCES
Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin has described media
reports, attributed to Democratic Alliance MP Stuart Farrow that
the Department of Transport spent R75.7 million on hosting four
conferences between 2007 and 2009, as mischievous and misleading.
It is the Minister of Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, who provided
all this information to the Democratic Alliance (DA) in response to
a parliamentary question. However, the manner in which the DA has
communicated this information is totally mischievous and
misleading.
South Africa had an obligation to host all these conferences and
as is the case with all such conferences, the host country is
responsible for the costs. As Government and the Department of
Transport, we take our responsibility on the continent and
internationally very seriously. There are many transport challenges
in Africa, and it is common cause that South Africa needs to take a
leading role in improving transport coordination, safety and
efficiency across our continent.
We accept that the value of all such conferences needs to be
constantly assessed. All these conference were a success and the
key objectives were achieved. There were also several bilateral
engagements at these conferences, said Deputy Minister Cronin.
As per the attached reply by Minister Ndebele, for the period 1
January 2006 to February 2010, the Department of Transport hosted
four international conferences which included the 1st African Union
Conference of African Ministers responsible for Roads in October
2007 at a cost of R18,773,107.08, the 1st African Union Conference
of experts responsible for Railway Transport in November 2007 at a
cost of R4,169,386.02, the Special Africa-Indian Ocean Regional Air
Navigation Meeting in November 2008 at a cost of R26,955,074.56 and
the 2nd African Union Conference of Ministers responsible for
Maritime Transport in October 2009 at a cost of R25,821,353.15.
Between 2006 and February 2010, an amount of R75,7 million was
spent on conferences which 1 800 delegates attended, including
Ministers and their support staff from the entire African
continent.
Enquiries: Deputy Minister of Transport Jeremy Cronin
021-469 6004/6010
ISSUED BY: MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
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