Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka should reimburse the presidency for the cost of her recent private trip to the United Arab Emirates, the Public Service Accountability Monitor said on Friday.
It said there were clear guidelines the deputy president had flouted and would only begin to restore public confidence in her office once she paid back the money.
PSAM director Colm Allan rejected Presidency spokesperson Murphy Morobe’s contention there were no specific guidelines governing the deputy president’s use of South African Air Force jets.
Morobe has maintained Mlambo-Ngcuka’s use of a SAAF jet for private travel in December did not infringe any law or regulatory prescript.
”This is not the case. There are clear guidelines governing the use of public funds by the president, his deputy and other members of the Cabinet,” Allan said in a statement.
Mlambo-Ngcuka used a Falcon 900 jet — at a cost of between R400 000 and R700 000 — for a holiday to the UAE. Also on board were her husband, their two children, two children of a personal assistant, and Mlambo-Ngcuka’s friend Thuthukile Mazibuko-Skweyiya.
The presidency said on Tuesday the deputy president had not broken any law, regulation or prescript.
However Allan said the executive ethics code which binds the president, his deputy and the rest of Cabinet, specified Cabinet members were not permitted to use their position to ”enrich themselves or improperly benefit any other person” including their family members.
”There are also clear rules contained in this code governing the acceptance of gifts or hospitality and transport by foreign governments. If the value of such a gift is over R1 000 the permission of the president must be obtained before it can be accepted,” he said.
The presidency confirmed the deputy president’s trip was for private purposes and that the emir of the UAE provided her and her entourage with accommodation and transport during her visit.
”The question arises as to whether the president gave his permission for her to accept this hospitality. If he did, what precedent does this set? If he did not, will he take disciplinary steps against his deputy?”
Allan said the ministerial handbook was a set of guidelines for all members of the Cabinet.
It provided clear guidelines for the use of air force aircraft for trips abroad by members of the national executive, and the use of these aircraft was limited to ”official purposes” only.
”Even for official trips, they should only be used in exceptional circumstances, such as non-availability of commercial flights, or due to time constraints or for security reasons.
”By using such transport for a private holiday, the deputy president’s actions were in clear breach of this guideline.”
The handbook also provided clear guidelines for official travel abroad, which stipulated that international visits ”should offer real value and benefit” to the country. Members should be accompanied by the ”absolute minimum number of officials”.
It also specified that, ”taking the necessity of financial discipline into account”, they should also apply their minds ”cautiously” in determining the ”feasibility of their spouses accompanying them abroad”. – Sapa