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President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to provide him, within 48 hours, with a detailed report on the circumstances that led her to share a flight to Zimbabwe with a high-ranking ANC delegation. .
A presidential statement issued late Friday said Ramaphosa had noted the public discussion that was generated about the flight to Harare by Mapisa-Nqakula, who had permission to travel to Zimbabwe to meet with his counterpart to discuss matters related to the defense in the region after a meeting. recent summit of Sadc.
“In the interest of good governance and the prudent and ethical use of state assets, the president ordered the minister to deliver a report within 48 hours that will expose the circumstances regarding the flight and the passenger list,” the statement read .
He said Ramaphosa welcomed the interest shown by South Africans in this matter as an indication of the nation’s vigilance against allegations of improper deployment of public resources.
Opposition parties have accused the ANC of abusing public resources for the party’s business after an ANC delegation sent to meet with Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF used a military plane for the trip.
Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald accused the ANC delegation of not only violating lockdown regulations, but also misusing taxpayer money by traveling on the army’s Falcon 900 plane.
“On top of that, an unauthorized military aircraft is being used to transport ANC party members to Zimbabwe for party political business. This is nothing more than the blatant misuse of tax money and corruption. The ANC must reimburse the costs, ”said Groenewald.
He said he would file a formal complaint with the public protector and request an investigation into the misuse of tax money by the ANC.
The district attorney asked Ramaphosa, in his capacity as SANDF commander-in-chief, to clarify why a delegation led by the ANC was able to fly to Zimbabwe in an air force plane.
“The delegation headed by ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule, who does not hold any official government post, met with Zanu-PF officials. This was not a meeting between officials from the governments of South Africa and Zimbabwe, but a meeting between the two political parties, ”said Kobus Marais, DA defense spokesman.
Marais said they are not only asking Ramaphosa to clear up “this blatant corruption” of his party, but that the ANC immediately return the money spent on transporting his party’s delegation to Zimbabwe.
On Thursday, News24 quoted defense spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini as saying that the ANC meeting coincided with Mapisa-Nqakula’s official work in Zimbabwe, and that she brought her fellow ANC members.
On Friday, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula also distanced himself from the use of a SANDF plane by Mapisa-Nqakula and colleagues from the ANC.
Mbalula referred all questions about the trip to Mapisa-Nqakula, saying that the defense force did not need his approval for their trips. She said that the military “were in charge of the heavens” and that is why she does not seek their permission since they are in charge of the security of the republic.
