Is this Zuma's Nkandla in the sky?

The luxury Boeing 727-200 that President Jacob Zuma charters when the official presidential jet, Inkwazi, is in for maintenance has gone on sale - allowing the public a look at the lavish interior Zuma enjoys.

The Boeing is owned and operated by local company Fortune Air and is being sold by Wentworth & Affiliates Inc.

The adverton Wentworth's website states that the 1982 aircraft has a "new 2008 designer interior" with a "gorgeous paint scheme in navy, white and gold", and a "private stateroom with VIP lavatory with shower, and adjoining office".

The aircraft has 5600 hours on the clock and seats 45.

Zuma has used the jet on many official visits over the past three months to the US, Russia and China.

Experts believe it will sell for about R33-million.

David Maynier, the DA shadow minister of defence, said: "If the standby Boeing 727-200 is sold, President Jacob Zuma may finally be forced to abandon his Mobuto-chic jet and fly SAA during the Boeing Business Jet's next maintenance period."

- Timeslive

Lindiwe flies to India to say "We also own Mahatma Gandhi ji"

As her country marks 20 years of independence, Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu – South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements – makes her first-ever visit to India, to “express gratitude for India’s support in their freedom struggle”. Next year, South Africa will celebrate 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic journey from South Africa to India.

Excerpts from an interview:

There is a big ethnic Indian community in South Africa. What is their role in public life and in economy?

Indians, or Asians for that matter, are entrepreneurial by nature. They contribute a lot to our economy. Many of them have been there for generations, and we don’t consider them as Indians or Asians. They are Africans, just like us. In the official population register though, we have to categorise our citizens as “Asians” or “Whites” or “Coloured”, but that’s for representational purposes. In fact, we are moving towards eliminating that.

Two decades after independence, what is the state of women in South African society?

We have exceeded expectations in women’s representation within the country. In fact, now there is a law which ensures 50 per cent representation of women in every government community/institution. But having said that, patriarchy is still deep-seated in our society. For example, when it comes to land holdings, women may have access to land but their ownership is very very limited.

How does South Africa view its ties with India?

India is our closest ally in Asia. Together, we are part of BRICS as well as IBSA. We have learnt a lot from India in terms of housing solutions. Recently, we have established a National Development Plan, modelled on India’s Planning Commission. Besides, there always the shared legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. Early next year, we are going to celebrate 100 years of his moving from South Africa to India, and his philosophy of passive resistance to oppression, in a big way.

What are the celebrations going to be like?

No finer details have been worked out as yet. In fact, since Mahatma Gandhi ji belongs to India as well as South Africa, I invite suggestions from the Indian government and citizens alike on how best to celebrate his legacy in an inclusive way. But we are going to invite the heads of Indian government here, and the Indian National Congress for the celebrations. Celebrating Gandhi is our way of telling the world that we also own Mahatma Gandhi ji. Even though India owns some of him, we own the better part of him.

- Indianexpress

The Big Read: Jacob Zuma's Flying Circus

Poor Lynne Brown. Poor, sad Lynne Brown. What a terrible situation to find oneself in. She is, ostensibly, the minister of public enterprises.

She is not. A mere glance at what she has been going through at SAA makes it clear that she is a mere seat-warmer, an empty suit, an effigy on a chair.

The decisions are made elsewhere. The minister exists merely to take the blame when it will, inevitably, need to be apportioned. She is waiting to be blamed for something at SAA for which she is not responsible.

SAA is now nothing less than a comedy show. Just like the SABC. Just like the Post Office. Just like Eskom. Just like our parliament.

Events at SAA have been more than sad to watch. It is a microcosm of everything that is going wrong with our government and our politics. It is a hive of the politics of patronage, cronyism, sloth and failure. It is an example of men and women of integrity failing to stop and ask: Why am I doing all this for one man?

The SAA chairman, Dudu Myeni, who has been named by the Mail & Guardian newspaper as currently engaged in, or having engaged in, an intimate relationship with the president of our republic, has been running rings around Brown for months. Her word seems to be taken as that of an anointed leader rather than that of someone who has to comply, like the rest of us, with the rules of corporate governance.

First, she lied to SAA by claiming that she has a bachelor of arts degree, which she doesn't.

Over the past fortnight she has rushed to change her story and now claims that she had merely forgotten to say that she had not completed two major courses for the degree.

It is not a degree, darling, until you have completed your majors, passed the exams and received a degree from the institution.

In this regard she is at one with other leaders of our state-owned enterprises. At the SABC we have the chairman of the board - also linked several times to the president of the republic - taking parliament to court for asking her to produce her degree after she lied about graduating from Unisa as a bachelor of commerce.

The chief operating officer of the SABC claimed he had a matric when he did not.

None of the three is out of a job.

Lesson to our kids: Don't worry about study and application. Just lie, or sleep, your way to the top.

Two weeks ago Myeni suspended SAA CEO Monwabisi Kalawe. The minister, who has fired a whole board to accommodate Myeni, ordered her to lift the suspension.

Myeni told a shareholder meeting, and the minister in writing, that Kalawe's suspension had been lifted.

However, inquiries by Business Day revealed that the airline was claiming that Kalawe was "on leave". His access to his office was blocked. His was locked out of his e-mail.

SAA appointed an acting CEO, Nico Bezuidenhout, claiming that Kalawe was on "special leave". Kalawe's lawyer said this was a "blatant lie".

And so it is that, for the second time now, Myeni has defied Brown's orders as the shareholder representative and gone ahead and done what she deems fit.

What is her power?

Is it because she is the chairman of the Jacob Zuma Foundation? Is it because her son has been "integrated" into the Zuma family? Is it because she is known to drop Zuma's name in conversation?

What has happened to Lynne Brown? This is a stalwart of the struggle. This is a woman generally perceived to be a person of integrity and honesty.

How exactly does a person like this end up in a mess in which she becomes an apologist for the absolute nonsense that is taking place at SAA?

How does she manage to sleep at night when yet another Zuma untouchable runs amok at the national airline?

She is not the only one. Two weeks ago Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president, went to parliament to tell the National Assembly that the president of the republic would not be fulfilling his constitutional duty of appearing before the house at least four times a year.

Last Thursday we saw the good men and women of the ANC united in defending - to the point of fisticuffs - the president of South Africa's wanton theft of R246-million of taxpayers' money.

They howled and threatened violence in defence of Zuma.

Do ANC MPs actually believe that the security upgrading at Zuma's private homestead are justified at R246-million? Including the million-rand cattle kraal?

The answer doesn't matter. Last week, like sheep, they were happy to endorse this theft of taxpayers' money as they adopted a sham of a report authored by six of their own exonerating Zuma - again.

Why have the good people of the ANC become so fearful and useless?

What has happened to their backbone? Where is the ANC?

- Timeslive

Zuma used chartered flight to US at a cost of around R6 million

President Jacob Zuma used a chartered plane to travel to the United States, the defence department said on Tuesday.

"The presidential aircraft is on a scheduled service and therefore not available. The option of chartering depends on the availability of the presidential aircraft," spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said.

He did not say how much the flight would cost, saying that was based on the National Treasury contract and the services rendered, and this would be reported in the department's annual report.

However, the SABC reported on Tuesday that the flight cost about R6 million.

Zuma arrived in the United States on Sunday. He was expected to address the United Nations general assembly meeting in New York on Wednesday.

His spokesman Mac Maharaj said the president would use the occasion to thank the UN and the international community for supporting South Africa as it marked 20 years of democracy.

Zuma would hold a special reception to thank the international community.

He would also attend a number of side events forming part of the UN assembly's programme, Maharaj said.

Zuma will be accompanied by Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, Co-operative Governance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Deputy Public Service and Administration Minister Ayanda Dlodlo.

In 2012, Mapisa-Nqakula cancelled plans to buy a R2 billion presidential jet.

She then reportedly said last year that the defence force would buy new presidential jets and planes as soon as possible.

She said the department was spending millions on chartering aircraft because many of the current planes were so old.

"Every week we pay millions of rand chartering aircraft for strategic airlift capability, which far exceeds the money we would have spent by purchasing," Mapisa-Nqakula said at the time.

"If you look at some of our aircraft, they're 60 to 62 years old and should be museum pieces. I won't elaborate on some of the experiences I've had..., but this process [to buy aircraft] must begin."

- SAPA

Lindiwe Sisulu Wastes More Money On Chartered Aircraft

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

Greedy MPs demand more gravy

South Africa's MPs have pushed through a massive travel benefit to ensure they get to lap up the parliamentary gravy for at least 10 years after they retire.

According to the proposal, MPs who retire will be able to get up to 24 free flights a year for 10 years - at taxpayers' expense.

Critics have blasted the scheme, saying it makes parliament little more than a glorified gravy plane. The perks also include free flights for spouses.

This latest proposal flies in the face of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's repeated calls for the restrained use of public money, including less travelling by public officials, and a litany of extreme examples of wasteful public expenditure such as Nkandlagate.

The benefit will apply to parliamentarians who do not make it back to the legislature after May's election, including disgraced former communications minister Dina Pule, who this week withdrew from the ANC's parliamentary list after a public outcry.

In terms of the new post-retirement travel benefit for MPs, adopted by parliament's oversight authority a fortnight ago, former MPs and their spouses will get between eight and 24 free flights a year over the next decade.

The authority recommends that retired MPs and their spouses be given free flights at taxpayers' expense based on the number of years they served in parliament.

In terms of the proposal, an MP would qualify for eight economy-class tickets a year for 10 years after serving one term, 16 such flights a year for 10 years after serving two terms, and 24 business-class tickets a year for 10 years after serving three terms in parliament.

Parliament's oversight authority also wants the retirement travel benefit extended to all 430 members of the nine provincial legislatures.

The oversight authority is the highest policymaking body for parliamentarians and comprises senior MPs, including speaker Max Sisulu, National Council of Provinces chairman Mninwa Mahlangu, ANC chief whip Stone Sizani and Democratic Alliance chief whip Watty Watson.

A Sunday Times calculation estimates that parliament would fork out R10,6-million a year or R106-million over 10 years if the benefit was extended to all 454 MPs and 430 members of provincial legislatures if they served at least one term.

Parliament's travel plans could still be halted if Gordhan decides against it because of the huge costs.

The proposal is contained in parliament's oversight authority's annual report for 2013, tabled recently.

It was made following a two-year review of parliament's travel facilities policy.

DA deputy chief whip Sandy Kalyan, who served on the task team that reviewed the travel policy, said the idea was to "level the playing field" between the benefits granted to former MPs and those given to former ministers and deputy ministers.

"Currently, former ministers and former deputy ministers are entitled to 78 single tickets per year and former MPs receive four tickets per year.

"We believed it to represent a disparity," said Kalyan.

Sisulu has now been instructed by parliament's oversight authority to discuss the implementation of this proposal with Gordhan and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in his capacity as leader of government business in parliament.

Parliament, which last year had a budget of more than R224-million to provide travel and other facilities to MPs, asked auditing firm KPMG to conduct an estimate of the costs. Spokesman Luzuko Jacobs has declined to provide the figure.

Gordhan's spokesman, Jabulani Sikhakhane, said the MPs had not yet taken their request to the Treasury.

"The ministry of finance has not been approached on this matter, but the financial implications of the proposal would have to be considered in the context of a constrained fiscal environment," said Sikhakhane.

An ANC MP and another one from the Congress of the People (COPE), who each requested to remain anonymous, said parliamentarians were entitled to free air travel in their retirement.

They dismissed suggestions that the benefit was an extended gravy plane, saying it allowed retired MPs to continue their work as community activists.

"People don't understand parliament and the work it does and the value people add.

"If you value parliamentary work, you will value the contribution that every member can make. But if you want to be dismissive of parliament, you will definitely see it as a problem," said the ANC MP.

The COPE MP said: "I know you guys in the media don't think so, but I definitely don't think it's unfair."

But the DA's Dianne Kohler Barnard expressed shock at the proposal.

"This is now ensuring that the length of the feeding trough is extended for another decade. Is there no end to the amount of money that the ANC people will wring out of taxpayers?"

She was adamant that retired MPs should not be entitled to such a perk.

"This is a massive expenditure on the part of the taxpayer.

"It's as though they [the government] think the taxpayer's pocket is infinitely deep and they will go on and on digging out the money."

The proposed retirement travel benefit would be an addition to existing perks enjoyed by serving MPs.

Each serving MP is entitled to 86 return domestic flights a year.

Their children who are still studying can also claim travel vouchers to fly between home and their place of study during holidays.

When travelling overseas on study tours, MPs fly business class.

Earlier this month, parliament also approved a "generous" leave policy for MPs.

It has granted 11 categories of leave for MPs, including "religious leave", five days leave to attend traditional initiation schools, leave for court appearances and leave to attend to private business activities.

Several years ago, a significant number of ANC MPs faced criminal charges after being implicated in a travel-voucher scam that involved the abuse of their travel privileges from parliament.

Some had used parliamentary travel vouchers to go on overseas holiday trips with their family members. 

- Timeslive

Sisulu's O3 addiction cost R11 Million in rentals

Two of President Jacob Zuma's senior cabinet ministers - public service's Lindiwe Sisulu and her defence counterpart, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula - are embroiled in a nasty row that is threatening to spill into South Africa's courts.

Details of the feud are contained in a series of explosive letters and documents that show Sisulu racked up an R11-million bill for chartered flights on a Gulfstream jet while she was defence minister.

Sisulu has accused her colleague of lying about the number of these flights, taken between September 2009 and February 2012.

The Sunday Times has seen the flight schedules and can today for the first time reveal the staggering cost to the taxpayer for trips between Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria as well as several foreign destinations.

Mapisa-Nqakula, in a written response to parliament in October 2012, said Sisulu had taken 203 flights on the private jet. Sisulu has insisted she took only 35.

The ministers appear to be at odds over how to calculate those journeys.

Documents show that on one occasion, the jet took off from Lanseria airport, landed at Ysterplaat Air Force Base in Cape Town, headed to Durban, then on to Swartkop Air Force Base in Pretoria and returned to Lanseria. Sisulu maintains this is one trip; Mapisa-Nqakula's calculations put it at four. This flight cost taxpayers R241,154.

Three days later, the jet flew from Lanseria to OR Tambo International Airport and on to Cape Town before returning to Lanseria. This flight cost R162306.

Three days later, the jet travelled from Lanseria to Ysterplaat, then OR Tambo, before returning to Lanseria. This flight cost R171042.

According to Mapisa-Nqakula's parliamentary submission, Sisulu undertook regular journeys on the jet, including seven overseas trips.

Between May 24 and May 27 2010, Sisulu travelled to Uganda, Turkey, Algiers and Sudan at a cost of just more than R1.1-million.

The following year, between August 9 and 12, Sisulu travelled to Burundi at a cost of R508488.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times this week, Sisulu vowed to clear her name and confirmed that she was considering legal action against her cabinet colleague.

"I want that expunged from my records with the necessary apology and the necessary remedy. I will not have it. I've worked very hard for this government and my reputation is not going to be sacrificed on something silly like that," she said.

The two ministers are among only four women in the top 15 of the ANC's election list. The timing of the public release of Sisulu's alleged extravagance along with the letters points to a behind-the-scenes battle for powerful cabinet positions after the May 7 national elections.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has been drawn into the fray. The Sunday Times is in possession of nine letters about the issue sent between the offices of Sisulu, Mapisa-Nqakula and Motlanthe - as leader of government business - during November and December 2012. They provide rare insight into the tenor of interaction in the current cabinet.

On November 9 2012, Sisulu wrote to Mapisa-Nqakula: "The answer you gave was wrong and I am of the opinion that this was deliberate." She asked Mapisa-Nqakula to withdraw the answer.

On the same day, Sisulu wrote to Motlanthe to insist Mapisa-Nqakula's answer was "NOT TRUE" [sic].

On November 15, Sisulu wrote to Motlanthe: "That the minister [Mapisa-Nqakula] is wrong is clear as daylight and she should know that I have worked with the SANDF and its operations longer than she has had contact with them. I crafted the handbook on VVIP planes."

She stated her belief that there was "a malicious and deliberate attempt to cause damage to my integrity", part of "a deliberate pattern".

"Minister Mapisa-Nqakula is wrong, she knows she is wrong and the only reason she is doing this, I am convinced, is deliberate," concluded Sisulu.

On November 18, Sisulu wrote a long letter to Motlanthe, asking him to act and invoking the Sisulu family name: "I can live with the pain and embarrassment that comes with being a politician, but I will not sacrifice my integrity. My integrity is central to my being, central to how, as a family, we define essential values. This I must guard with my life."

In a separate paragraph, she stated: "I AM DEEPLY AGGRIEVED" [sic].

The ministerial handbook gives the South African National Defence Force the responsibility to transport the defence minister, and authorises chartered aircraft use only when there are time constraints or commercial airline use is not cost-effective, or for health reasons.

The fight between the two started two years ago when Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier asked a routine parliamentary oversight question about the number of chartered Gulfstream jet flights Sisulu undertook.

Mapisa-Nqakula answered with her version of events and stuck to it. At some point, while Mapisa-Nqakula was out of the country and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini was nominally acting as defence minister, Dlamini withdrew the parliamentary answer.

This week, Sisulu said she was "hopping mad" about the matter and would take any steps possible to get Mapisa-Nqakula to apologise to her.

Sisulu said Mapisa-Nqakula had allowed herself to be caught up in a campaign to smear her name following her initiative to tackle corruption in the public service.

She said she had reported Mapisa-Nqakula to the public protector and parliamentary ethics committee.

The public protector's office yesterday confirmed that it was investigating Sisulu's complaint against Mapisa-Nqakula.

She has taken legal advice and will, if necessary, use the courts to clear her name. "My integrity is everything I have ... I will not sacrifice it for everybody. I do everything with integrity and I am going to protect it with all I have.

"I mean, how do I go to anybody now and say please come and vote for the ANC? This is an organisation that has given so much and they look at me and they see a flight? No, no, no," she said.

"I want that expunged from my records with the necessary apology and the necessary remedy. "

Sisulu took another swipe at Mapisa-Nqakula, pointing out that she had flown with her to an African Union summit in Angola in 2012, both enjoying the luxuries of the aircraft.

"Interestingly, on about six or seven of these flights was my successor. So she would have known that we did not fly to Angola six times, but we flew to Angola once.

"Because what happened is that the plane left Waterkloof with her in the plane to come here [Cape Town] because I was in a portfolio committee, to pick me up to go to Angola for an AU summit meeting.

"In fact, what would be interesting would be to get a breakdown of who was in the flight with the minister. Very rarely are these flights just the minister.

"So when you talk about the R10-million, you're ... not counting the totality of the office and the people who use that flight."

Mapisa-Nqakula denies being part of any campaign to tarnish Sisulu's name.

"The minister of defence would like to state categorically that at no time, in the present or the past, has she ever had any reason to conduct a smear campaign against Minister Sisulu.

"Even with the current misunderstanding, such a possibility remains so remote, given their personal relationship and the long bonds formed during years of struggle and comradeship. These are relationships she values deeply," said her spokeswoman, Joy Peter.

Mapisa-Nqakula said she would not respond to Sisulu's threats because she was dealing with the matter through Motlanthe's office.

"The minister will continue to deal with the matter through the office of the leader of government business, and this is her preferred channel to address issues of this nature. As a result, the minister cannot respond to any suggestion for a possible legal action against her," said Peter.

mokonet@sundaytimes.co.za

joubertj@sundaytimes.co.za

An expensive way to travel

Lindiwe Sisulu, when she was minister of defence, took 15 return trips on a private jet between Johannesburg and Pretoria and Cape Town, at a total cost of R3216988 and an average of R214466 per return flight.

The flights started at Lanseria or Waterkloof Air Force Base, went via OR Tambo International Airport and landed at Ysterplaat Air Force Base, before returning to OR Tambo, then Lanseria or Waterkloof. Sisulu was not on every leg of the flights.

By way of comparison, had the minister booked a return flight on a commercial airline, the average costs (based on Kulula/British Airways quotes) would have been:

• Booking 24 hours before, to leave and return the next day: R5250.
• Booking one week before: R4250.
• Booking a month before: R3000.
• Using an average of three people per flight, the cost savings would have been:
• 24 hours, average commercial flight: R15750; average private jet: R214466. Average saving per trip: R198716.
• One week, average commercial flight: R12750; average private jet: R214466. Average saving per trip: R201716.
• One month, average commercial flight: R9000; average private jet: R214466. Average saving per trip: R205466.
• This is an average saving of about R200000 a flight.

Using that average, if the minister had flown on a commercial airline instead of a private jet, the 15 flights she took between Gauteng and the Western Cape would have cost roughly R3-million less than on a private jet.

The commercial airlines total would have been R217000. The cost using a private jet was R3.2-million.

Kulula and British Airways had at least 10 options available for 24-hour bookings. Booking further ahead increased the options to between 20 and 30 flights.

The legs between OR Tambo and Lanseria airports, so-called ferry flights, cost about R7000 a trip. Those 15 ferry flights cost about R105000, or half the minister's total cost had she used a commercial airline. - Gareth van Onselen

- Timeslive

Still no answer on Sisulu’s flights

Cape Town -

Military discipline relies on following orders and on meticulous record-keeping.

But that seems to have unravelled when it comes to the number of charter flights undertaken by former defence minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

Her successor, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, had to admit on Tuesday that she still could not provide a parliamentary answer to DA MP David Maynier, more than a year after the question was asked.

“I have consistently received contradicting information from the department (of defence) in respect of this parliamentary question and have resultantly not been able to assertively provide the requisite reply in this regard,” Mapisa-Nqakula said in response to a parliamentary question by Maynier’s DA colleague Shahid Esau.

Last week, Maynier unsuccessfully tried to read out in the National Assembly a list of Gulfstream jet flights taken by Sisulu during her stint at the helm of the defence force, as he had vowed to do earlier in the year.

He was quickly cut short by a parliamentary point of order from Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, who interjected just as Maynier had finished reading that “on a Friday, a Gulfstream jet departs from Lanseria International Airport and lands at Air Force Base Ysterplaat to collect the minister in Cape Town. The flight was empty. The flight cost plus minus R100 000… ”

For Mapisa-Nqakula it is the second time she has been embarrassed on the same issue.

Her response last year that her predecessor took 203 flights, at an estimated R200 000 each, was withdrawn from the parliamentary record after Sisulu rejected the costs and maintained she had taken only 35 flights - with her office on several subsequent occasions saying there was nothing to add on this matter.

However, Maynier has promised to continue trying to get to the bottom of what he believed was R40 million spent on luxury charter flights.

“The fact is Lindiwe Sisulu treated the air force like her personal airborne taxi service. She zoomed up and down the country like a yo-yo, wasting millions of rands. So I’m not surprised the air force lost count of number of flights she undertook,” Maynier told the Cape Argus.

“Thankfully, her wings have been clipped. The poor minister must be desperately missing her favourite privately owned ultra-luxury Gulfstream executive jet. The transition back to ‘chicken or beef’ on South African Airways must have been traumatic.” - Cape Argus