Amid criticism that the Presidency had spent R44-million of taxpayer money on an 18-month series of Presidential izimbizo, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Wednesday it was “mischievous to reduce” the engagement events “to rands and cents”.

Magwenya was addressing the media where he insisted that the izimbizo were not an extravagant exercise or wasteful expenditure of taxpayers’ money.

“…but it is a caring government which is engaging its citizens across the political divide. It is about a caring government that is closer to the people, ensuring their right to access to basic services is solidified,” he said.

The Presidency was responding to criticism it received over the cost of the four events, over 18 months.

The Economic Freedom Fighters condemned what it termed the “disgraceful misuse of public funds” on the Presidential imbizo events, adding that it set a “dangerous precedent” for other government ministries and institutions in the Government of National Unity (GNU) to follow suit.

Civil rights movement Not In My Name has called on the Public Protector to investigate the R44-million spent on the Presidential imbizos, also citing misuse of funds and improper procurement processes.

Magwenya noted that the events had become a priority of the seventh administration, as the President identified local government as a priority focus area of the current GNU.

The Presidential izimbizo programme, through the District Development Model (DDM), was introduced in 2019 where the President signalled his intention to visit all 44 district municipalities and eight metros.

Its aim, he said was to institutionalise integrated planning and delivery in the district and metropolitan sites. The programme was based on the principle of the One-Plan where challenges were identified and addressed in an integrated manner.

“Yes, critics will point out the high cost of DDMs and they will motivate how the money could have been utilised elsewhere. Indeed, one cannot quantify the impact of the Presidential izimbizo in monetary terms, but it should be measured over the medium to long-term of what changes such events will bring to communities,” Magwenya averred.

He pointed out that government had an obligation to interact and communicate with citizens across the country, saying with the GNU this had become more urgent so that all citizens could understand how the new administration was working for them.

“Unfortunately, it will be costly at times, however, all the officials involved must ensure that procurement processes [for the events] are conducted within the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act as outlined,” he said.

Magwenya noted that where there were violations of the law, those must be fully investigated and the perpetrators must be duly punished, explaining that the current administration would continue to engage citizens through the Presidential imbizo.

He said the second round of the Presidential izimbizo would start later this month at the Tsakane Stadium in the Ekurhuleni metro and many more would follow over the next five years.

SUCCESS OF PRESIDENTIAL IMBIZO

Magwenya highlighted that the programme did not only focus on the challenges but on medium- to long-term planning to promote inclusive development in conjunction with other stakeholders in the district.

Magwenya said there had been notable success through interventions inspired by the Presidential imbizo, noting the Sedibeng district in Gauteng, where the imbizo contributed to a clinic becoming fully operational.

“The clinic, which was built before the Covid-19 lockdown, had become a white elephant and the community in Zone 17, Sebokeng, had to travel distances for basic medical care,” he said.

Through the Presidential imbizo in October 2022, an inter-governmental task team comprising national, provincial, local government and Eskom, identified the gaps for the clinic to become operational, he added.

“The izimbizo is more than just a feel-good gig for the President and the Cabinet. It is about identifying a district in conjunction with the provincial governments. Once a district has been identified, the various spheres of government come together, different work streams are established to drive the process that is coordinated by the political champion,” Magwenya said.