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.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu refused to answer several parts of the parliamentary question including the names of the passengers on each flight. The Ministerial Handbook (A Handbook for Members of the Executive and Presiding Officers) provides for members to make use of chartered flights for official purposes: -

•·        "if there are time constraints in reaching the destination by vehicle or scheduled commercial flights due to other official duties;

•·        where facilities of commercial airlines are not cost effective and/or readily available in the specific incidence; and

•·        for health reasons".

What was the purpose of the flights and why are ordinary taxpayers, who cough up millions of rands each year for chartered flights, not entitled to know who the passengers were on the aircraft?

The DA will continue to probe the use of chartered flights laid on by the South African Air Force.

The DA will submit supplementary parliamentary questions to determine who was on the flights, for what purpose was the flight chartered, the destinations of the flights, the name of the company from which the aircraft was purchased and the name of the owner of the aircraft which was chartered by the South African Air Force.

And the DA will call for a review of Section 4.2 of the Ministerial Handbook (A Handbook for Members of the Executive and Presiding Officers) which deals with chartered aircraft services. The relevant department is responsible for establishing policy and procedure for the use of chartered air services. This is in our view too broad and can easily be abused by departments. What we need is a detailed policy - applicable to all departments - on the use of chartered air services.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION No 322

Mr Maynier (DA) to ask the Minister of Defence:

1.     Whether any aircraft were chartered by the SA Air Force during the 2008-09 financial year, if so (a) how many (i) international and (ii) national flights were undertaken, (b) in respect of each flight, what was the (i) reason why the flight was chartered, (ii) type of aircraft that was chartered, (iii) departure date and (iv) arrival date, (c) who were the passengers on each flight and (d) what was the (i) total cost and (ii) breakdown of such costs in respect of each flight?

REPLY

(a) Yes, 7 flights in total were chartered.

(i) 4 international flights were chartered.

(ii) 3 national flights were chartered.

(b) Find attached spreadsheet of the details with respect to each flight.

(d) The total cost was R3 152 463.47. The attached spreadsheet indicates the cost breakdown per flight.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence and military veterans, July 31 2009

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