A MAP showing the nine provinces was published in the Mail and Guardian in the early days of democracy that labelled the Eastern Cape “Chaotica”, a not totally unfair description, given the state of the province as it sought to amalgamate the former Transkei and Ciskei homelands with the Cape Provincial Administration, and plethora of education and health departments that were a hangover from apartheid and the tri-cameral parliament.

In addition there were the ghost workers and supernumeraries, and challenges associated with the delivery of services that must have appeared insurmountable at the time.

It would also not be unfair to state some of the problems that existed then have become embedded in the provincial administration such as, for example, acceptance that pupil support material will not be delivered on time to schools throughout the province. It is impossible to reach any conclusion other than this, given that for 15 years the Education Department has failed to deliver textbooks and stationery timeously.

And there are numerous other examples of where officials have simply accepted a lower standard of performance than is acceptable.

It is also impossible to quantify the wastage over the years, but it probably runs into billions of rand. The way in which funds that could have been used to improve the lives of the people have been siphoned off into areas can only be described as wasteful.

Just one example is in the 2008/09 budget: the Department of Education allocated R35.8-million for catering for what was described as “departmental activities”. Actual expenditure, however, was R494.5-million.

In 2009/10, R34.9- million was allocated for the same purpose with actual expenditure as reflected in the budget documentation tabled last Wednesday R167.6-million.

What the department did was reallocate funds from other programmes to “catering”.

(It is not possible to provide figures for earlier years as a sufficiently detailed breakdown of spending was not provided.)

Those responsible for drawing up the budget for the 2010/11 financial year clearly thought they would be able to do the same as they allocated some R32-million for catering. They will, however, not be able to do so because a directive has been issued by the provincial Treasury requiring that any funds transferred from one line item to another have approval from Treasury.

That will give expression to the statement by Finance MEC Mcebisi Jonas last Wednesday on the need to cut spending on non-core items because research had shown “far too much money is spent on non-core items such as travel and accommodation and catering”. He announced savings of R403-million had been achieved in this way and further work “should continue to yield more savings”.

The funds saved in that way will be augmented by the development of a procurement price index to counter the current situation where there is no fixed amount the province should pay for specific items and the establishment of an “independent verification unit” to check major procurement transactions.

There were a number of other areas that also needed examination. Does the Legislature, for example, really need to spend more than R39-million in the next financial year on travel and subsistence, and why is it spending R920000 on entertainment?

Education is also budgeting to spend a fraction under R5-million on entertainment.

Without in any manner detracting from these initiatives that will end the profligacy of the past, the question uppermost in many minds is: who gave permission for additional funds to be used for catering, whether that person checked that the province was receiving value for money and what action will be taken against those who have been responsible for the abuse of the public purse?

It surely cannot be correct that those responsible for such wastage are not dealt with and that must form the second leg of the interventions by the provincial government.

The Public Finance Management Act provides penalties for a wide range of offences and it is surely now time for these provisions to be invoked, something the provincial government has been strangely reluctant to do up to now.

It is frightening to know Education spent R494.5-million on catering in the course of one year, enough to eradicate 20% of the mud schools in which the children for whom they are responsible continue to learn.

It is heartening to know that finally this gross indulgence by those who earn good salaries, live in proper houses and do not go to bed hungry is finally being brought to an end.