Gauteng government spends R160 million on commemorative days amid rising unemployment
Commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Youth Day at Orlando Stadium, Soweto, in 2016.
Image: GCIS
The Gauteng provincial government has spent nearly R160 million on annual commemorative days in eight years ahead of the 49th anniversary of the June 16, 1976, Soweto uprisings on Monday.
Gauteng Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Matome Chiloane revealed that the provincial government has spent nearly R160 million since 2016 on commemorative days such as the upcoming Youth Day, Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, Women's Day, Heritage Day, and Day of Reconciliation.
Over the past eight years (2016 – 2024), almost R21m has been spent on Youth Day, which is only lower than the Day of Reconciliation, commemorated on December 16, and has cost the provincial government just over R2.6m.
Heritage Day, which is commemorated on September 24, has cost the most with R41.8m during this period, while Freedom Day celebrations on April 27 have been bankrolled with R34.8m.
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More than R33.5m and R25.6m have been spent on Women's Day (August 9) and Human Rights Day (March 21), respectively.
Chiloane revealed details of the expenditure in response to DA member of the Gauteng legislature, Kingsol Chabalala.
Chabalala stated that the Gauteng government has wasted millions of rand on commemorative days over the past eight years while the province struggles with a persistent unemployment crisis.
'This lavish spending amid rising joblessness raises serious concerns about the provincial government's commitment to addressing pressing economic challenges faced by the people of Gauteng,' he said.
According to Chabalala, there are numerous projects that the funding could support, which would improve the lives of the province's citizens and help reduce the current unemployment rate of 34.4%.
'Instead of spending copious amounts of money on food and busing people to events, it would have been more prudent to invest that money in creating sustainable jobs to benefit our residents both in the short and long term,' he added.
Chabalala continued: 'The DA has been advocating cost-effective ways of celebrating commemorative days in the Gauteng Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee for the department.
'We will keep pushing for this through the committee to ensure the department stops wasting millions on these events while our people starve and our sports infrastructure crumbles.'
He said the funds could have been better utilised to enhance sports facilities in schools and communities, including building multi-purpose courts for various sports and swimming pools in township areas.
'Investing in support for Gauteng athletes and individuals pursuing careers in the creative arts would be a more effective use of money than spending it on celebrations,' Chabalala suggested.
On Monday, the provincial government will commemorate Youth Day with an 'Inspiring Youth Expo' at the Morris Isaacson High School in Soweto to expose young people to meaningful opportunities as well as a wreath laying at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za
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