Deputy minister in trip storm

2007-08-05 14:10

Johannesburg - The deputy health minister, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, took a "consultant" in her office along with her son on a trip to Spain, allegedly without obtaining presidential approval, at a cost of R160 000 to the taxpayer.

Ministers and deputy ministers need the president's approval to travel outside the country.

The three flew business class, stayed at a luxury hotel and were allocated generous spending money while abroad, the City Press reported on Sunday.

An anonymous whistleblower has written a letter to President Thabo Mbeki to draw his attention to the unauthorised Madrid trip.

There is evidence of other expenses incurred by the department due to the consultant, Sukhthi Naidoo, taking regular trips around the country, flying business class, hiring luxury cars and sleeping in hotels at the expense of taxpayers.

The letter says that during a trip to North West, Naidoo spent the night at the Palace of the Lost City and then flew business class from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

The letter, in the possession of City Press, is accompanied by detailed evidence of expenses incurred during the trip.

Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga confirmed that the presidency had received the letter.

Madlala-Routledge said she had been invited by the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) to address their seminar on Aids vaccines scheduled for June 12 to 15.

She told acting Health Minister at the time, Lulu Xingwana, she would be taking her son, Simon, an NGO activist, and Naidoo on the trip. Total costs for the trip, including spending money amounted to R161 000.

But Xingwana, in a written reply, advised Madlala-Routledge to ask the president for permission to go on the trip.

Madlala-Routledge then wrote to Mbeki to request presidential authority for the overseas trip.

Mbeki replied on June 11, a day before she was to travel, with a written one-liner "Not Approved" and added his signature.

But Madlala-Routledge went ahead anyway.

On June 12, the head of ministerial services in her office wrote to the South African High Commission in London to advise that the deputy minister and her entourage would be passing through and to request that they be assisted while in transit.

The South African Mission in Spain was also informed.

- SAPA