Polony Gatsby stuffs up Western Cape audit claims

Helen Zille’s government in the Western Cape crowed about its latest clean audit last week, but behind the headlines a polony Gatsby threw a long shadow.

The R45 sandwich was one of dozens of food items bought by the office of Western Cape Speaker Sharna Fernandez in contravention of the provincial parliament’s petty cash policy.

An investigation into irregular spending totalling R1 700 reveals that management “did not exercise oversight responsibility” when petty cash was spent on Woolworths choc-chip yoghurt, Red Bull and a ham sandwich, among other things.

But managers hit back, insisting that purchases of “assorted tarts, rusks and butter scones” for meetings in the speaker’s office were in compliance with the petty cash policy.

The refreshments probe, revealed on three pages of the provincial parliament’s management report, found that approval of the irregular purchases “only took place after the expenses were incurred”.

Auditors examined only two payment vouchers — dated January 9 and 17 — and ordered managers to investigate whether any similar transactions had happened.

In their response, managers disagreed that the purchases — which also included salmon fish cakes, bananas and a bag of butternut, cauliflower and courgettes from Woolworths — were not in line with the objectives of the provincial parliament.

“We also do not agree that this instance constitutes irregular expenditure,” they said.

Legislature spokesman James Retief told the Sunday Times that ambiguities in the application of the petty cash policy had led to a “bona fide misinterpretation . . . resulting in certain items being claimed for erroneously. This practice continued . . . until it was picked up during an audit.”

Corrective measures had been taken, including full repayment of the money and amendment of the policy.

The ANC chief whip in the Western Cape legislature, Pierre Uys, said it was clear from the report that the purchases were not for specific meetings.

“You can see as an example, polony Gatsby, regular chips and cool drinks, but it’s all just one each, one each, one each, so it seems like the speaker ordered this for herself in her office for her lunch or breakfast or whatever the case may be,” speculated Uys.