CAPE TOWN – Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthumbi needs to account to Parliament for wasting hundreds of thousands of rands of public money on a “family junket”, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

The party said it would ask Public Service and Administration portfolio committee chairwoman Makhosi Khoza to summon Muthambi to account for wasting R300,000 of taxpayers’ money on flying 30 people to watch her give a speech in Parliament, DA spokeswoman Desiree van der Walt said.

The DA’s @Desiree_DALim will write to the Chair of the Public Service PC, Dr Makhosi Khoza for Muthambi to be summed to Parly to explain. https://t.co/NzaZoKZCjK

— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) July 30, 2017

Muthambi’s alleged extravagance was reported in the Sunday Times newspaper.

“Muthambi must be made to repay every cent she spent on making sure people would come to watch her speak. Her guests included her son, sister, aunt, and mother, and former SABC board chairwoman Ellen Tshabalala,” Van der Walt said.

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“A Limpopo police constable was employed by Muthambi as her personal assistant and former SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s daughter was also hired by her,” the DA MP said.

The reports surfaced on the back of revelations that the wealthy, politically connected Gupta family had received highly confidential cabinet meeting information from Muthambi in May.

“Meddling” Muthambi, who was seemingly deeply compromised and who was the very same person who oversaw the demise of the SABC, was clearly at it again in her new portfolio, Van der Walt said.

READ: Opposition MPs want Faith Muthambi fired

“The DA will not stand for this. Muthambi must appear to account before the public service and administration committee and be made to pay back every cent of wasted taxpayers’ money,” she said.

African News Agency