David Macfarlane
Size does count and that’s official. District councillors around the country have been seduced by the argument that because South Africans “are generally big people”, they are more susceptible to “deep vein thrombosis” if they fly economy class.
Shortly before setting off on an investment mission to China in April, about 40 councillors received a letter from Peter Verrijdt, president of the China-SA Trade & Investment Promotion Centres. “UTMOST URGENT: REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION”, Verrijdt’s hard sell began.
“As a result of the warnings on TV earlier this month and in Time magazine … regarding the risk of ‘deep vein thrombosis’ being contracted by economy class passengers on long haul flights we have received a number of enquiries from delegates wishing to upgrade to business class for the forthcoming mission.
“This warning particularly applies to us South Africans as we are generally big people.”
Verridjt rammed the point home two paragraphs later: “It is a long flight to Beijing … and we would encourage you to go business class. Especially, for those of us who are big people.”
Councillors of all sizes thronged to upgrade their tickets at R18?000 each, and taxpayers picked up the tab which is large, very large. For seven councillors from the Highveld District Council, the two-week Chinese extravaganza topped R500?000, according to council records.
These records also note that “the risk of deep vein thrombosis being contracted by economy class passengers on long distance flights is very high”, and that “further enquiries with the [China-SA Trade &] Investment Promotion Centre” reveal that “some people who have been exposed to the disease have died”.
Diminutive Highveld acting municipal manager Charles Makola of the African National Congress told the Mail & Guardian he and other councillors upgraded their air tickets “to save lives for few cents. Why take risks? We must value lives.”
“[These trips] are all just a holiday,” says Democratic Alliance Highveld councillor Chris Griffiths. “What have these delegations to China achieved? The Chinese just look at what they can make more cheaply than we can, so it’s a way of causing unemployment in our own country. Soon we’ll be seeing Zulu stabbing spears ‘Made in China’!”
Someone is making a profit of impressive dimensions out of our councillors’ insecurities but not South African Airways (SAA). Cathay Pacific has been the airline of choice to transport about 80 councillors to date in long-legged comfort to China. Verrijdt’s “big people” letter promises councillors they will “find attached a letter explaining the reasons why we make specific use of Cathay Pacific and not [SAA]”. No such letter is attached.
Griffiths says Verrijdt has three times promised to convey these reasons to him, but he’s still waiting. Verrijdt declined to tell the M&G whether he has any business connection with Travel Studio, the Pretoria agents who issued the business class tickets.
Asked about the medical basis on which he wrote his letter to the councillors, Verrijdt replied, “You’ll write what you like.”