Riyaz Patel
The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture has cost the taxpayer R356m so far, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola told Parliament.
DA MP Mergan Chetty asked Lamola what total cost had been incurred since the establishment of the commission last year.
Lamola responded that R244.5m was spent in the 2018/2019 financial year, and R111.5m in the current year up until August 31.
The commission has spent over R15m on staff salaries.
Breaking it down further, Lamola said legal services cost just under R53m over the financial years combined, and “investigative tools” almost R35m, but this was all spent in the first year.
Communications cost about R10m and leasing the building just over R1.1m.
It paid investigators R2.2m in 2018/2019, but in 2019/2020 up to the end of August, this skyrocketed to R86m.
The vaguely described “other goods and services” cost R95m.
In comparison, the commission of inquiry into tax administration and governance by the SA Revenue Services, also known as the Nugent Commission, only cost a shade over R8m.
This is according to Lamola’s answer to a written question by DA MP Solly Malatsi.
