No place for Phumzile's doctor

2006-01-26 07:57

Erika Gibson

Johannesburg - What would have happened if deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka had become ill on the way to or from the United Arab Emirates?

That's the latest question Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus wants Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota to answer after it was revealed that the doctor who was part of her team had to take a commercial flight.

"According to our information the deputy president took along so many family and friends that there was no room for the doctor, who had to take a commercial flight, which the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) must pay for," said Groenewald.

Presidency spokesperson Murphy Morobe, asked whether that was indeed the case, told Liezel de Lange that the presidency stands by the statement issued last week.

The presidency last week said the amount of R400 000 paid by the taxpayers was not exorbitant and that the defence ministry takes responsibility for all VIP flights by the president and deputy president.

Morobe said allegations that Mlambo Ngcuka had abused her powers to take her family and guests along on the flight were "ridiculous".

Groenewald wanted to know what would have happened if the deputy minister had, for instance, suffered a heart attack during the flight. "It's irregular. It is unacceptable that the SAMHS should pay the cost. Conditions at 1 Military Hospital are horrible, and the money could have been used to improve them."

- Beeld