Ordinary taxpayers are coughing up millions of rands each year for chartered flights.
In a reply to a parliamentary question it was revealed that seven flights were chartered by the government in the 2008/2009 financial year at the cost of R3 million to the taxpayer.
The flights were chartered because of a lack of availability of aircraft in the South African Air Force and South African Air Force Reserve Force.
Of the seven chartered flights, three chartered flights were for international trips of no more than one or two days and at a cost of R 2,7million to the taxpayer. One of the flights chartered on 6 December 2008 cost the taxpayer R 886 216.00 - for the day. Another flight chartered on 6/7 December 2008 cost the taxpayer R999 129.00 - nearly a million rand for two days.
A Gulfstream II Executive Jet was chartered as follows:-
- 06/07 November 2008 at the cost of R879 862.12;
- 06 December 2008 at the cost of R886 216.00;
- 06/07 December 2008 at the cost of R999 129.00.
However, we do not know for what purpose the flights were chartered or who was on the flights.