Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 56 of 2003)RegulationsMunicipal Cost Containment Regulations, 20197. Travel and subsistence |
| (1) | An accounting officer— |
| (a) | may approve the purchase of economy class tickets for all officials or political office bearers where the flying time for the flights is five hours or less; and |
| (b) | may only approve the purchase of business class tickets for officials, political office bearers and persons reporting directly to the accounting officer for flights exceeding five hours. |
| (2) | In the case of the accounting officer, the mayor may approve the purchase of economy class tickets where the flying time is five hours or less and business class tickets for flights exceeding five hours. |
| (3) | Notwithstanding subregulation (1) or (2), an accounting officer, or the mayor in the case of an accounting officer, may approve the purchase of business class tickets for an official or a political office bearer with a disability or a medically certified condition. |
| (4) | The cost containment policy must limit international travel to meetings or events that are considered critical. The number of officials or political office bearers attending such meetings or events must be limited to those officials or political office bearers directly involved in the subject matter related to such meetings or events. |
| (5) | An accounting officer, or the mayor in the case of the accounting officer, may approve accommodation costs that exceed an amount as determined from time to time by the National Treasury through a notice only— |
| (a) | during peak holiday periods; or |
| (b) | when major local or international events are hosted in a particular geographical area that results in an abnormal increase in the number of local and/or international guests in that particular geographical area. |
| (6) | An official or a political office bearer of a municipality or municipal entity must— |
| (a) | utilise the municipal fleet, where viable, before incurring costs to hire vehicles; |
| (b) | make use of available public transport or a shuttle service if the cost of such a service is lower than— |
| (i) | the cost of hiring a vehicle; |
| (ii) | the cost of kilometres claimable by the official or political office bearer; and |
| (iii) | the cost of parking. |
| (c) | not hire vehicles from a category higher than Group B or an equivalent class; and |
| (d) | where a different class of vehicle is required for a particular terrain or to cater for the special needs of an official, seek the written approval of the accounting officer before hiring the vehicle. |
| (7) | A municipality or a municipal entity must utilise the negotiated rates for flights and accommodation as communicated from time to time by the National Treasury through a notice or any other available cheaper flight and accommodation. |