Take action on gravy plane - DA
2006-01-11 13:18
Cape Town - South Africa's official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested in a letter that President Thabo Mbeki take action over what it described as "the possible abuse of State resources" by deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
It is estimated that a holiday - described by DA MP Gareth Morgan as "a gravy plane holiday" - to the United Arab Emirates in December cost some R700 000.
Morgan said: "While it remains unclear whether South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft are officially available for private trips by members of the executive, in the context of South Africa's pressing development needs it would seem that expenditure of this nature is an unaffordable extravagance.
"I have therefore urged the President to launch a thorough investigation
into this incident to determine whether there has been an abuse of taxpayers' money.
Tighten regulations
"I have also urged the president to tighten up the regulations governing the use of SAAF jets so as to ensure that no member of the executive is allowed to use State resources for his or her own private purposes.
"It is telling that a high profile leader such as British Prime Minister
Tony Blair makes use of his country's national carrier. The state is not expected to pay for his holidays."
Morgan, who was elected to parliament in 2004, said South Africa was not a rich country "and it simply cannot afford wasteful expenditure of this kind".
The R700 000 rand would have been far better spent on building houses or employing more policemen.
The text of Morgan's letter to President Mbeki reads: "In light of your recent commitment to root out corruption at all levels of government, I would like to bring to your urgent attention the possible abuse of state resources by the deputy president.
"It has been reported that the deputy president used a South African Air Force (SAAF) jet in order to transport her family on a shopping trip to the United Arab Emirates. The estimated cost of this trip is in excess of R700 000.
"While it remains unclear whether SAAF aircraft are officially available
for private trips by members of the executive, in the context of South Africa's pressing development needs it would seem that expenditure of this nature is an unaffordable extravagance.
"Therefore I would urge you to launch a thorough investigation into this incident to determine whether there has been an abuse of taxpayers' money."
Morgan said further: "I would also urge you to tighten up the regulations governing the use of SAAF jets so as to ensure that no member of the executive is allowed to use state resources for his or her own private purposes."
The presidency confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that the government had paid for the private visit of Mlambo-Ngcuka and her family to the UAE.