Cape Town – Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille wants changes to the state funerals policy to cut costs.
This followed an outcry on the exorbitant costs of state funerals, with one company billing the department R76-million for three burials.
De Lille and department officials briefed the public works oversight committee on Tuesday.
Official state funerals are costly and with the country in financial dire straits, government needed to trim the fat anywhere it can.
The minister said a review of the policy on funerals for, among others, former presidents was needed – and she offered some suggestions.
“As part of the review policy, there is the recommendation and proposal, that wouldn’t it be better if there is a donation towards the cost of the funeral to family, and the family decide how they use that amount of money,” de Lille said.
De Lille’s remarks follow a report which investigated allegations of irregularities related to the provision of moveable infrastructure for official funerals, which led to the suspension of her director-general Sam Vukela.
De Lille said Vukela has been implicated in massive overspending on state funerals and an irregular hiring spree.
