The Department of Arts and Culture spent almost a quarter of a million rand on a party to mark minister Lulu Xingwana's budget vote, it emerged on Friday.
The information emerged in Xingwana's reply to a parliamentary question asked by Democratic Alliance shadow arts minister Annelie Lotriet.
Xingwana said 320 people were invited to the 19 June function, which cost a total of R223 281.74 even though the venue, Cape Town's ArtScape theatre, was free.
The total included R98 453.59 on food and R52 000 on entertainment.
The budget for food works out to R308 per guest, and the total sum to R700 a guest.
Lotriet said this was the latest example of lavish and unnecessary spending by the African National Congress executive.
Based on the monthly costs of a social welfare organisation in the Western Cape, the R223 000 could have fed about 15 000 homeless people a day, for two months.
"The ANC government simply cannot continue to abuse public funds in this manner."
She said, however, that several departments — water and environment affairs; communications; women, youth, children and people with disabilities; defence and military veterans; finance; and economic development — had not had budget parties and should be commended for their responsible approach to public finances.
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