Who carries the costs of minister Mbalula’s attendance of Mayweather fight?

Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus leader, today submitted questions in parliament inquiring who carried the costs of minister Fikile Mbalula’s, minister of Sport, attendance of the boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, USA the past weekend.

“Of course it is not corruption if the minister had visited the USA at his own cost and attended the boxing match. The FF Plus just wants to ensure that South African taxpayers did not carry the costs of the minister’s expenses,” Dr. Mulder said.

A single ticket for the boxing match cost between R31 000 and R158 000. Then the cost for flight tickets from South Africa to the USA still has to be added.

“If the minister received the trip and match tickets as a gift it is also important to know who and with which motive the donation was given to him,” Dr. Mulder added.

Ministers are accountable to parliament for the way in which they use state funds. Ministers and Parliamentary Members also have to declare to parliament all the gifts that they receive.

The parliamentary question tries to establish whether the costs of the minister’s trip and attendance of the fight were carried by him in his personal capacity or by taxpayers or whether he received it as a gift.

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus leader, May 4 2015