irresponsible
10 October 2007
In a recent 'research' document the Democratic Alliance (DA) claimed that
the Department of Housing had increased accommodation and travel expenditure by
153%.
The DA's claim was so outrageous that the Minister of Housing requested the
Director-General of Housing to investigate. This investigation has concluded
that the DA's research was so flawed that its publication bordered on criminal
negligence.
The truth is that the department increased its travel and accommodation
expenditure by 8% between the 2005/06 and 2006/07 financial years.
Background
In response to parliamentary question, number 1 464 of 2006 on travel and
accommodation expenditure for 2005/06, the Minister of Housing responded on 8
December 2006 that the information required was not readily available. But the
Minister was able to provide more up-to-date information covering a six-month
period of the 2006/07 financial year.
What the DA chose to do, however, was reflect the figures given for the
first six months of 2006/07 as the total expenditure for 2005/06.
This was a deliberate manipulation. The DA was aware that we did not provide
figures for 2005/06 because on 14 September 2007 it again requested this
information from the Minister in parliamentary question 1 462 of 2007.
The DA not only distorted its research outcomes, but also caused them to be
widely published. The party announced that the Department of Housing had shown
the greatest percentage increase in spending of 19 departments surveyed. The
'research' was given pride of place on the DA's website. This was what
effective opposition was about, it said.
The DA has the right to ask questions in Parliament, but it has an even
greater responsibility to report accurately to the public.
Conclusion
The DA's distortion of the facts is severely damaging to the reputation and
integrity of the Department of Housing and the Ministry. We have no reason to
believe the falsification was not intended as a slur.
The DA is requested to publicly withdraw its so-called research and publish
a correction of the facts in a national newspaper. It is also requested to
tender a written apology to the Ministry and Department of Housing.
The Ministry of Housing will further seek advice from the Speaker of
Parliament and the Chief State Law Adviser on steps that may be taken to
censure the DA in this instance, and dissuade parliamentarians from publishing
deliberate falsehoods in future.
For further information please call:
Monwabisi Maclean
Cell: 082 882 2962
Issued by: Department of Housing
10 October 2007
