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Former ministers and their spouses have claimed more than R20 million in travel claims between April 2018 and March 2020.
PHOTO: Yunus Mohamed / Gallo Images
- A PAIA request from the district attorney revealed that former ministers and their spouses claimed more than 20 million rand for domestic travel between April 2018 and March this year.
- Travel benefits for former ministers and their spouses were removed from the ministerial manual last year.
- The district attorney plans to challenge the payments, saying they may amount to irregular expenses.
Despite a cut in benefits, former ministers and their spouses claimed more than R20 million in travel claims between April 2018 and March 2020, according to a Sunday Times report.
Former ministers used to claim up to 48 domestic business class flights a year, but this benefit was removed from the ministerial manual last year. A reduced benefit was available for vice ministers and spouses of former ministers and vice ministers.
However, since this review in 2019, Parliament spent almost R10 million on flights for former ministers and their spouses.
These include former National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk, apartheid-era ministers Adriaan Vlok and Roelf Meyer, and the so-called “weekend special” Des van Rooyen, who infamously served as former President Jacob’s finance minister. Zuma for two days.
In a strongly worded statement Sunday, DA deputy Leon Schreiber also named Malusi Gigaba, Tina Joematt-Pettersson, Faith Muthambi, Dina Pule, Dipuo Peters, Ben Martins, David Mahlobo and others.
The full list can be viewed here.
Parliament provided a detailed list of 200 former ministers, deputies, and their spouses who submitted travel requests between April 2018 and March this year, following a request from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Promotion of Access to Information Law (PAIA).
The ministerial manual was revised by the Minister of Administration and Public Service, Senzo Mchunu, in November last year. Mchunu spokesman Kamogelo Mogotsi confirmed that the free flights for former members of the executive had been removed from the manual.
‘Immoral, corrupt and a waste of money’
Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo told the Sunday Times that the legislature had budgeted flights for former members of the executive and their spouses. Mothapo added that Parliament was drafting an amended policy that would make changes to the controversial benefit.
Schreiber fought for a year to get the amounts from Parliament, according to Rapport.
He described the “luxury flights” as “immoral, corrupt and a waste of money at a time when more and more South Africans are sinking into poverty.”
He also questioned its legality.
He said:
Not only is Parliament obliged to pay for former Cabinet members, but this agreement also violates the principle of separation of powers between the legislative and the executive. Apart from the ministerial textbook, there is no law that approves this waste.
Schreiber wrote to the newly appointed Auditor General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke, asking him to investigate whether Parliament’s payment for the flights was an irregular expense.
“If the Auditor General concludes that this amounts to irregular spending, I have requested that the Attorney General take appropriate corrective action to force Parliament to completely remove this provision and recover the lost tens of millions of rand to the state for the past 26 years, “Schreiber said Sunday.
The Attorney General’s office has confirmed that the request is being considered.
– Compiled by Nicole McCain
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