Critics urge caution, say Zuma’s past reshuffles have not delivered better
CAPE TOWN — In perhaps her last act before she moves to another department, former defence minister Lindiwe Sisulu has revealed the hundreds of millions of rand paid out for transporting VIPs by the South African Air Force (SAAF).
During her tenure, Ms Sisulu developed a reputation for failing to answer parliamentary questions, often insisting the information was classified because of national security, or could be disclosed only in a closed meeting of the joint standing committee on defence.
In Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, President Jacob Zuma announced that Ms Sisulu was moved from defence to become minister of public service and administration. Her replacement in the defence portfolio is Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Yesterday, Ms Sisulu responded to a set of questions posed by Democratic Alliance (DA) MPs asking for details of the travel undertaken by Mr Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and herself over the three years ending in March this year. The questions cover flights by aircraft operated by the SAAF, the SAAF reserve squadron and those chartered by the air force.
Ms Sisulu revealed that in the past three years and two months, Mr Zuma had flown 286 times at a cost of R140 515 430,15. Most of the flights were in aircraft owned by the SAAF, most notably the presidential
The minister undertook 18 fewer flights than the president himself, on aircraft operated by the South African Air Force
jet, Inkwazi.
A reply to a similar question about Mr Motlanthe’s travel showed that he flew 213 times at a cost of R69 746 680,47.
Ms Sisulu flew 268 times at a cost of R40 581 878,12 in SAAF aircraft, and she revealed that former president Thabo Mbeki was flown 39 times at a cost of R32 130 037,87.
DA defence spokesman David Maynier said Ms Sisulu had in the past refused to reply to parliamentary questions on the transport for VIPs. However, shortly after her leaving office, Parliament received a number of replies to a series of questions probing the VIP flights provided by the SAAF.
“The figures are staggering. The average flight cost R450 543,03 per VIP flight for these three individuals. However, most shocking of all was that the minister herself undertook 268 flights at the cost of R40 581 878,12,” Mr Maynier said. “The minister undertook 18 fewer flights than the president himself, on aircraft operated by the SAAF.
“The minister, apparently, regularly made use of a luxury Gulfstream executive jet operated by the SAAF reserve squadron,” Mr Maynier said.
“The minister blew an average of R151 424,91 on each flight, most of which must have been domestic flights.
“Of the 268 flights undertaken by the minister, 188 flights were on aircraft operated by the SAAF. Seventynine flights were on aircraft operated by the SAAF reserve squadron, and one flight was chartered,” Mr Maynier said. “The fact is that the minister seems to have completely abused her privilege to use military aircraft for official purposes.”
Noting that there was no breakdown of the expenditure on the VIP flights, Mr Maynier said he would follow up the replies with further questions to the new minister, Ms Mapisa-Nqakula.
“We have to get to the bottom of what is really going on in the VIP transport section of the SAAF,” Mr Maynier said.