DA goes potty over plants
Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies told the National Assembly in support of the prohibition of collecting prescribed debt: 'Credit providers sell debt that is already prescribed, some dating back five to 10 years.' Picture: CANDICE CHAPLIN Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies told the National Assembly in support of the prohibition of collecting prescribed debt: 'Credit providers sell debt that is already prescribed, some dating back five to 10 years.' Picture: CANDICE CHAPLIN
Cape Town - It costT R11 603 last year to maintain the pot plants at the Trade and Industry Department’s parliamentary offices in Cape Town – up by 60 percent from 2009’s R6 895, according to a parliamentary reply.
But Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies was clear about who benefited from the greenery.
“The pot plants are used as office decor and do not directly benefit any person,” stated his reply to DA MP Zak Mbhele, one-time spokesman for Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.
Mbhele’s parliamentary question debut solicited among the first responses now that the parliamentary year has begun in earnest – and seems to indicate the opposition party’s proclaimed determination to get to the bottom of government extravagance.
“The contract for the maintenance of pot plants ended in December 2013, and has not been renewed,” Davies’s reply stated.
However, the Department of Trade and Industry gave no costs for the maintenance of pot plants at its minister’s official residence, as that’s the “responsibility” of the public works department.
There was no indication of costs for the Pretoria departmental office, and others, or who had actually won the tender to provide the plants, in the reply.