R450 Million on Flights While South Africa Struggles: Cabinet Travel Costs Spark Backlash

At a time when millions of South Africans are unemployed and basic services are under strain, news that President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet spent more than R450 million on overseas travel in just 18 months has landed badly.

The figure, revealed by ActionSA, has reignited an old but sensitive debate in South Africa: are government leaders living too comfortably while ordinary citizens are tightening their belts?

How the R450 Million Figure Was Calculated

According to ActionSA MP Alan Beesley, the party compiled the figure using written parliamentary replies from ministers covering travel costs since July 2024. These were then cross-checked and consolidated using ActionSA’s GNU performance tracker.

Beesley didn’t mince his words.

“At a time of deep economic crisis, with 12 million South Africans unemployed and essential public services severely lacking, this level of spending reflects an alarming profligacy,” he said.

The criticism comes as many households continue to grapple with load shedding aftershocks, rising food prices, and collapsing municipal services.

Who Spent the Most?

Several departments stood out for their hefty travel bills.

The Human Settlements Ministry, led by Thembi Nkadimeng, topped the list with R32.98 million in travel expenses. Close behind was Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, whose department spent R29.57 million.

The Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Ministry, under Sindisiwe Chikunga, recorded R25.27 million, including an estimated R5 million on air tickets alone.

Other notable figures include:

• Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: R24.41 million

• The Presidency: R24.17 million

Beesley questioned whether South Africans have seen any meaningful return on these trips.

“A culture of executive indulgence is evident,” he said, pointing to short overseas visits that came with eye-watering accommodation and flight costs.

Short Trips, Big Bills

Some of the examples raised eyebrows even among seasoned parliamentary observers.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau’s office spent R2.12 million on a three-night trip to New York in September 2024, followed by R1.5 million for a one-week visit to Washington DC earlier that year.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi incurred R2.75 million for a seven-night stay in New York, plus R1.33 million for two days in Brazil and R1.18 million for a week-long trip to the UK.

On social media, comparisons quickly followed with users pointing out how many clinics, classrooms or water tankers those amounts could have funded.

Silence, Delays and Withheld Information

ActionSA also raised concerns about ministers who failed to fully disclose their travel costs.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni reportedly withheld details, citing security concerns. Deputy President Paul Mashatile allegedly declined to provide updated figures after earlier controversy around a Japan trip that included over R900,000 for four nights of hotel accommodation.

Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson and Communications Minister Solly Malatsi were accused of allowing parliamentary questions to lapse by not submitting updated information.

For critics, the lack of transparency only deepens public mistrust.

Deputy Ministers Also Under Fire

It wasn’t just Cabinet ministers in the spotlight.

Deputy ministers were also accused of excessive spending. Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi reportedly spent over R650,000 on local car rentals in just eight months.

In the Health Department, the deputy minister’s office spent R1.05 million on a four-day trip to Japan. In Home Affairs, figures showed a deputy minister spending almost four times more than the minister on local travel during part of last year.

Calls for Reform, Even from Within the ANC Family

ActionSA has proposed new legislation to regulate perks for public office bearers and has renewed calls to scrap deputy minister positions altogether, arguing they are an unnecessary drain on public funds.

Interestingly, criticism also emerged from within ANC-aligned structures. Speaking at the Peter Mokaba Lecture in the North West, ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji criticised what he called “fruitless” overseas trips including Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House last year.

Malatji went as far as suggesting that the president and ministers who attended the US meeting should repay the state, claiming the trip delivered no tangible benefits.

A Familiar South African Frustration

For many South Africans, this controversy taps into a long-standing frustration: leaders who promise austerity but appear immune to it themselves.

Whether the spending was justified or not, the political cost is clear. In a country where every rand is scrutinised, R450 million on travel has become a symbol of a widening gap between government and the governed and one that opposition parties are unlikely to let fade quietly.

{Source: The Citizen}

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