The presidency’s explanation for Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s taxpayer-funded private trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December was laughable, the Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday.
”The basic underlying fact remains that a trip was undertaken by the deputy president, her family and friends at taxpayers’ expense,” the party said in a statement.
”This is in direct violation of several sections of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act.”
The DA had referred the matter to Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana for investigation.
”We look forward to his timely and full response to our request for his office to investigate the issue.”
The presidency earlier said no laws had been broken by the trip, between December 27 and 31.
”… in no respect did the deputy president — or those who took the decisions regarding the modalities of travel to Abu Dhabi — infringe any law, regulation or prescript,” presidential spokesperson Murphy Morobe told reporters in Pretoria.
He dismissed as ”preposterous” accusations that Mlambo-Ngcuka abused her power by taking along Thuthukile Mazibuko-Skweyiya — wife of Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya.
Mazibuko-Skweyiya went along because she was voluntarily involved in growth initiatives in South Africa, Morobe said.
The deputy president had decided to use her state-funded private trip as an opportunity to learn from the growth and women empowerment projects of the UAE. She viewed Mazibuko-Skweyiya as ”the right person” to take along, Morobe said.
Accompanying Mlambo-Ngcuka on the SA Air Force plane were her husband Bulelani Ngcuka, their two children and two children of her personal assistant — who was not on the plane, but joined the group later.
The state paid for security, transport and associated costs for all private and official trips by the president and deputy, said Morobe.
The true cost of the trip, as yet unknown, would be publicised in the presidency’s annual report.
Responding to suggestions that the money could have been better spent, Morobe said: ”A figure of R700 000 would be a drop in the ocean if it would be used to address the issues that the public has said the money for this trip could have been used for.”
The DA said the ”ongoing saga” demonstrated that the leadership of the ruling ANC was out of touch with the public.
”[It] simply does not understand the revulsion which ordinary South Africans feel when they hear about massive extravagance of this kind.”
It also questioned why different explanations had been given for Mlambo-Ngcuka’s trip.
”First it was a holiday, then it was a business trip, then it was a holiday again, and now it is a fact-finding mission. Get real! What will it be tomorrow?” said the statement. – Sapa