The president gives the defense minister 48 hours to explain the use of the SANDF plane by the ANC

JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa gave Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula 48 hours to give him a detailed report on the circumstances that led the Minister to share a flight to Harare, Zimbabwe, with a high-ranking delegation from the leadership of the African National Congress. .

In a statement issued Friday night, the President noted the public discussion that had been generated around a flight to Harare by Mapisa-Nqakula, who had permission to travel to Zimbabwe to meet with her counterpart and discuss matters related to the advocacy in the region following a recent SADC summit.

“In the interest of good governance and the prudent and ethical use of state assets, the president has directed the minister to provide a report within 48 hours that will set out the circumstances surrounding the flight and the passenger list.

“The President appreciates the interest shown by South Africans in this matter as an indication of the nation’s vigilance in the face of allegations of improper deployment of public resources.”

Earlier on Friday, ANC NEC member and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that the Zimbabwe crisis was a case of national importance, justifying party members traveling using state resources.

Zulu was part of an ANC delegation, led by Secretary General Ace Magashule, sent to the neighboring country by the party this week.

The visit was for the ANC to meet with its Zimbabwean counterpart, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), on human rights violations in the country.

Zimbabweans have been subjected to the harshest treatment and arrests for denouncing corruption and the economic crisis in the country.

The ANC said the members simply took a walk with Defense Minister Nosiziwe Mapisa-Ngqakula, who was on her way to the country.

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