R1 billion on accommodation and food, and a further R600 million spent on cellphones, laptops, tablets, airtime and data for senior public servants in KwaZulu-Natal.
Well does Finance MEC Francois Rodgers question where the officials stayed and what they ate to justify the outrageously high bill. And well might we point him in the direction of kickbacks from vastly inflated prices.
The level of profligate spending required to reach R1 bn in a single year certainly calls for a detailed probe to determine who spent what, and who received what.
It also bears remembering that these figures are for a single provincial administration. How much more would a national probe of all provinces uncover? And how much is being spent by the national administration?
The discovery of the extravagant expenditure comes at a time of hardship for the ordinary taxpayer, with petrol prices having increased this month and further increases predicted for January.
While austerity measures result in budget cuts for crucial sectors like health and education, South Africans must also contend with the effects of a stagnant economy, including salaries which do not keep pace with inflation and a growing population of the unemployed.
Against this backdrop, R1.6 bn on luxuries for officials is a slap in the face of all South Africans regularly making sacrifices to make it to the end of the month. This does not take into account the other perks afforded to MECs, ministers, their deputies, heads of department and other senior officials, including satisfying their penchant for luxury vehicles.
While Rodgers is aware his probe will make him unpopular, it will be instructive to see its effect on the Government of National Unity in the province, the amounts under investigation being incurred under the previous ANC administration.
It is unconscionable to expect South Africans to continually bear the burden of an inflated government created solely to further political aims.
We cannot wait to see the results of Rodgers' probe.