The flight was made in an air force jet. “I do not intend
to take any further action. I deem the reprimand given to the minister, the
directive that three months’ salary be donated to the Solidarity Fund, and the
obligation to ensure that the costs of the trip are reimbursed by the political
party [which has been done] sufficient sanction,” said Ramaphosa in a written
reply to the National Assembly.
He was responding to parliamentary questions submitted by
the DA’s Dr Leon Schreiber, who asked the president whether he intended taking
further action against the minister for failing to comply with guidelines for
international travel.
If not, Schreiber wanted Ramaphosa to give reasons as to
why as the minister would not account for “contravening the explicit provisions
of the guidelines by undertaking an unauthorised international trip at taxpayer
expense”.
Schreiber asked if the president was informed about the
passengers who accompanied
Mapisa-Nqakula on the September 8 2020 trip.
The embattled minister was reprimanded by Ramaphosa and had
her salary docked for the trip which cost taxpayers R232,000.
Maphisa-Nqakula was at the receiving end of a backlash for
flying the ANC delegates to Zimbabwe in the aircraft. The delegation attended a
meeting with Zanu-PF leaders regarding tensions in Zimbabwe.
Later, the defence force confirmed that the ANC paid the
R105,000 portion of the bill it received for the trip.
Defending herself after calls for her head, the minister
said she did not go to Zimbabwe “on holiday, but to discuss issues of
instability in the country that are negatively impacting SA’s security”.
Ramaphosa explained that “while the request did not comply
with the requirement in the Guide for Members of the Executive that requests
should be made at least two weeks prior to departure, this is, unfortunately,
not an uncommon occurrence due to the pressures of state work”.
“The international trip was approved by me on September 8
2020. As I was not in Gauteng at the time, the approval was verbal and the
relevant documentation was signed as soon as possible thereafter,” he said.
Ramaphosa said he was informed that Mapisa-Nqakula would be
travelling with two support staff, listed in her written request for permission
to travel and submitted to him on September 7.
“The information about the request for permission to travel
by the minister as well as my approval was made public on October 1 2020, and
can be accessed on the presidency website,” he said. Times
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