In a recent reply to a DA parliamentary question, the Department of Public Service and Administration revealed that former Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, chartered two flights to Umtata in June and July of 2013 respectively.
According to the reply, the flights cost R132 569 and R146 132 respectively, totalling R278 702. South African Airways (SAA) on average has two flights available from Johannesburg to Umtata every day. The Minister could have saved the state more than R250 000 by simply flying SAA like everyone else.
I will submit further parliamentary questions as to ascertain the reasoning for chartering these flights and why the former Minister was unable to fly with SAA.
Minister Sisulu is well known for her tendency to charter private aircraft. During her tenure as Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, she spent nearly R11 million travelling on Gulfstream jets between 2009 and 2012 and spent an average of R214 466 travelling on Gulfstream jets between Cape Town and Pretoria.
According to the Ministerial Handbook, Chapter 6, section 4.2.1, members may only under exceptional circumstances arrange chartered aircraft services:
If there are time constraints in reaching the destination;
Whether the services of commercial flights are not cost-effective and/or readily available; and Health reasons.
This tendency by Minister Sisulu to charter aircraft will be rigorously monitored, as the staggering and constant abuse of public money cannot be tolerated.
We will await the Minister's explanation for these lavish flights. If she does not have reasons in line with the Ministerial handbook's regulations we will report this abuse to the Public Protector.
Joe McGluwa, Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration
- allAfrica
