The official opposition Democratic Alliance has submitted written parliamentary questions to the presidency requesting a breakdown of costs incurred by the South African taxpayer for President Thabo Mbeki’s recent visit to Haiti.
Democratic Alliance finance spokesperson Raenette Taljaard also submitted the questions to the ministers of foreign affairs, safety and security, intelligence and defence.
Mbeki recently attended Haiti’s bi-centenary celebrations.
Taljaard said: “In particular, I have submitted a question to Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota about the costs of sending the SAS Drakensberg and [South African National Defence Force] personnel to Haiti to protect the president.”
This one aspect alone had probably cost — “at a conservative estimate” — at least R5-million.
“Add to this the R10-million contribution to the Haitian government for its bicentenary celebrations, and the costs quickly escalate into the financial stratosphere.”
South African taxpayers have had to fork out tens of millions of rands “for President Mbeki’s propping up an undemocratic regime, which today is an international pariah. Our president was one of only two heads of state to attend the Haitian celebrations.”
Taljaard argued that South Africa has many pressing needs that demand the attention of the president and his government.
“The symbolic significance of the liberation of Haiti might be important to President Mbeki and the political elite, but it has little relevance to those for whom life is a struggle. Millions of ordinary South Africans are living with HIV/Aids; are forced to deal with unacceptably high levels of crime; cannot find jobs; and are struggling to put food on the table.”
Taljaard said expenditure on foreign relations should focus on increasing trade and investment in South Africa while advancing democracy and human rights. — I-Net Bridge