South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki cannot demand a new positive image of Africa while continuing to condone the flagrant abuse of office and squandering of public money that typifies so much of the continent, says official opposition Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon.
Providing a litany of evidence in support of his argument that Mbeki has kept silent — or even condoned — questionable practices by his own ministers in South Africa, Leon said on Friday in his weekly internet column SA Today the president cannot “not have it both ways”.
Mbeki cannot not decry — as he has done in recent columns — “the rampant materialism” of the new elite, and turn a blind eye to the excesses of African National Congress office-bearers.
Leon cited the recent example of Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka who had used a presidential jet to go on a R700Â 000 rand shopping holiday in the United Arab Emirates. Mbeki’s spokesperson had reacted by describing the cost of the junket as “a drop in the ocean”.
The deputy president then added another splash, by subsequently spending R75Â 000 on chartering a luxury jet for a 13-minute trip to Sun City to open a sports tournament.
Even the “high-flying” deputy president, however, has been outclassed by “the stratospheric arrogance” of new Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Lulu Xingwana. Incensed to find South African Airways flight 570 from Durban to Johannesburg full, Xingwana forced her way on board and turfed a business-class passenger out of her seat.
Then the ruling party’s mayor of Mbombela municipality in Mpumalanga upgraded his flight to Canada because the provincial premier was flying first class and he did not wish to upset protocol. It cost an additional R40Â 000.
“It seems that air travel, especially of the international variety, exercises a peculiar fascination of members of the ANC elite,” charged Leon.
This level of extravagance is unforgivable for a municipality in which poverty abounds, said Leon. The 2001 census, he noted, found that 38,4% of households did not have access to electricity and only 2,98% of residents had access to free basic electricity, noted Leon.
Another expensive high-flyer is the head of the KwaZulu-Natal department of provincial transport, Dr Kwazi Mbanja, who led a five-person delegation — including the provincial minister — on a 14-day trip to Germany “to observe transport arrangements”.
Leon noted that “happily for Dr Mbanja … the trip happened to coincide with the Football World Cup final and semifinal”.
Leon said: “The image of Africa, and how to improve it, obsesses President Mbeki.”
Last week he asked in his weekly newsletter: “Who will define Africa?”
In a spirited discussion, Leon said that Mbeki has focused on the lack of positive coverage of the continent, declaring that, “in time, these stories begin to define who and what we are”.
It is extraordinary that the President can hold grudges about issues that go back 30 years, but cannot recall, for example, a meeting he held in secret with Thomson-CSF (Thales) executives in Paris in December 1998 — the company later won a South African arms deal contract, Leon stated.
The president himself needs to play open cards over the matter, he suggested.
Leon charged that he and his government chose to deny the facts and in so doing indirectly condoned corrupt practices and undermined democratic accountability.
“Put frankly, Mr Mbeki needs to accept a large share of the blame for the increasingly selfish and arrogant behaviour of the new elite, as they are merely following the example set by members of his own government.
“As if in grim confirmation of the most pessimistic overseas observers, these office-bearers are fulfilling the worst stereotypes of the self-serving and profligate leaders of Africa.” — I-Net Bridge