Grounding this gravy plane would make a great story

CONSIDERING the shocking socioeconomic conditions under which a great number of South Africans continue to live, it is no surprise that many view the governing party’s election slogan — “a great story to tell” — with cynicism. Without doubt, South Africa has made great strides in improving the lives of the majority since 1994.

But the behaviour of our public representatives, especially over the past five years, gives rise to this cynicism.

When citizens hear politicians speak about South Africa’s good story, they suspect that they are mostly bragging about how large they have been living on the gravy train since the dawn of freedom and democracy.

After all, whether they are in the cabinet or on parliament’s back benches, too many politicians have been more preoccupied with securing comfortable lifestyles for themselves and their families than serving the nation and its people.

The Nkandla scandal is the latest, and most extravagant, example of how our elected representatives have benefited at taxpayers’ expense.

The perception that our elected representatives are in it mostly for themselves is certainly going to be reinforced by the latest proposal emanating from parliament.

Recently, MPs handed themselves generous leave allowances, after repeated complaints about their bunking sessions of parliament.

Still reeling from Travelgate — a scandal that exposed MPs who colluded with travel agencies to defraud the National Assembly — parliament is now planning to put retired MPs on a 10-year gravy plane.

According to a proposal that is now waiting for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s blessing, MPs who are not returned to parliament after next month’s election will be entitled to between eight and 24 free flights a year for a period of 10 years.

This is a retirement benefit that our outgoing MPs do not deserve, especially in a tough economic climate in which everyone is advised by the government to tighten their belts.

It is an abuse of power on the side of our representatives. Serving MPs already enjoy great travel benefits — including 86 free flights a year and subsidised tickets for their spouses and children.

Why must taxpayers continue to foot the bill for parliamentarians who have either retired or failed to make it back to the legislature after being rejected by the electorate?

What is also shocking is the speed with which parliament has dealt with the matter. Whereas many pieces of legislation that would improve people’s lives remain unprocessed because of parliament’s slow bureaucratic processes, it has taken our MPs only two years to approve this proposal — just in time for those who will be leaving soon.

A good story to tell, indeed, about our politicians delivering a better life for themselves.

We can only hope that Gordhan — who has warned the government and other state institutions to cut their spending if South Africa is to weather the current economic climate — will put his foot down and deny MPs this undeserved retirement benefit.

His failure to do so would undermine the Treasury’s stated goal of cutting back on unnecessary state spending and call into question the minister’s ability to take a firm stand against parliamentarians.

As it is, MPs are generously rewarded for their duties as South Africa’s law-makers. The taxpayer also contributes handsomely to their pensions and retirement medical aid benefits.

MPs can surely afford to foot their own holiday travel bills once they have retired.