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By IOL Reporter 
9h ago
Durban – Defense and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has had 48 hours to provide President Cyril Ramaphosa with a detailed report on the circumstances that led the minister to share a flight to Harare, Zimbabwe, with a high-ranking delegation from Africa. Leadership of the National Congress.
On Friday, the Presidency issued a statement after details of the trip came to light during a radio interview earlier in the day.
Defense minister in the shadow of the district attorney, Kobus Marais, criticized the incident and asked Ramaphosa to clarify why the ANC delegation used the plane.
“The district attorney is absolutely outraged by the ANC’s blatant abuse of the state machinery, its deliberate blurring of state and party lines, and the fact that the South African taxpayer had to sponsor this meeting between the two political parties. “, said.
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the ANC delegation led by the party’s general secretary Ace Magashule had taken advantage of Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s official trip to Zimbabwe to board the flight.
During the radio interview, Zulu said that Mapisa-Nqakula had all the necessary authority and permission to travel outside the country and that they had even run their Covid-19 tests.
Zulu went on to say that the trip was to address issues of national importance to both South Africa and Zimbabwe and that his discussions with Zanu-PF were significant because the situation in Zimbabwe had a negative impact on South Africa’s own economy, security and social issues. issues.
“The ANC always travels alone, we pay for our own (plane) tickets, we get accommodation whether we go to Mozambique, Angola, Namibia or even if we go to Sudan, we always go on our own, but by right now we have urgent problems between ourselves. and Zimbabwe in general and Zanu-PF, ”he said.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said the defense force did not need his permission to travel as they were “in charge of the skies.”
According to Tyrone Seale, acting spokesman for the Presidency, Ramaphosa has noted the public discussion that has been generated around a flight.
“In the interest of good governance and the prudent and ethical use of state assets, the president has ordered 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 against allegations of improper deployment of public resources,” Seale said.
MESS
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