Outrage has erupted among opposition parties after revelations that the government will be buying new VIP jets for President Jacob Zuma and members of the cabinet at huge cost to taxpayers.
Media reports on Sunday indicated that the current presidential jet, Inkwazi, will be supplemented by an additional Boeing Business Jet, expected to be delivered by the end of August.
The newspaper also reported that the R600-million Boeing Business Jet will be supplemented by two Falcon 900 jets, bringing the total cost to R2-billion.
The revelations raised the ire of the Democratic Alliance and Congress of the People (COPE), both of whom condemned the expenditure.
DA MP David Maynier referred to the Boeing purchase as “Jacob Zuma’s new gravy plane deal”.
“It’s shocking that in the very year the Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, announced revised spending plans to reduce waste, including cost-cutting on ‘non-critical activities’, such as travel and subsistence, a decision has reportedly been taken to spend approximately R2-billion on VIP jets for President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet,” he said.
The outspoken DA shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans said Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula should come clean about the deal.
“I will write to Stanley Motimele and Emmanuel Mlambo, the co-chairpersons of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, to request an urgent briefing on the acquisition of new VIP aircraft,” he said.
COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota called on the government to take heed of the dire financial situation that the country faced.
“COPE condemns government for considering an expenditure of R2-billion to acquire new VIP jets at a time when the country is experiencing a cash deficit and our borrowing continues to spiral ever higher,” Lekota said.
He said there was no need for the government to buy new VIP jets and subject people to steep taxation.
“It is this attitude of unconstrained expenditure by the president and the cabinet that encourages someone like Majodina to copy the president and freely spend R15000 of taxpayers’ money on five lunches when going abroad,” he said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
Parties blast plan to purchase R2bn VIP jets
Media reports on Sunday indicated that the current presidential jet, Inkwazi, will be supplemented by an additional Boeing Business Jet, expected to be delivered by the end of August.
The newspaper also reported that the R600-million Boeing Business Jet will be supplemented by two Falcon 900 jets, bringing the total cost to R2-billion.
The revelations raised the ire of the Democratic Alliance and Congress of the People (COPE), both of whom condemned the expenditure.
DA MP David Maynier referred to the Boeing purchase as “Jacob Zuma’s new gravy plane deal”.
“It’s shocking that in the very year the Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, announced revised spending plans to reduce waste, including cost-cutting on ‘non-critical activities’, such as travel and subsistence, a decision has reportedly been taken to spend approximately R2-billion on VIP jets for President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet,” he said.
The outspoken DA shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans said Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula should come clean about the deal.
“I will write to Stanley Motimele and Emmanuel Mlambo, the co-chairpersons of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, to request an urgent briefing on the acquisition of new VIP aircraft,” he said.
COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota called on the government to take heed of the dire financial situation that the country faced.
“COPE condemns government for considering an expenditure of R2-billion to acquire new VIP jets at a time when the country is experiencing a cash deficit and our borrowing continues to spiral ever higher,” Lekota said.
He said there was no need for the government to buy new VIP jets and subject people to steep taxation.
“It is this attitude of unconstrained expenditure by the president and the cabinet that encourages someone like Majodina to copy the president and freely spend R15000 of taxpayers’ money on five lunches when going abroad,” he said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos