Jobs not Jets: Postponement of leasing of Presidential Jet is evidence that it is not a priority

27 July 2016

The DA has reliably learned that the tender for a long-term lease of a jet for President Zuma has been postponed, bolstering the DA’s contention that the replacement of Inkwazi is clearly not a priority and shouldn’t continue.

The postponement of the long term rental which was planned as a stop gap while the acquisition of a new jet was completed shows that there really is no reason for the President to be flying in anything other than Inkwazi. The Presidency originally claimed that a lease agreement was an urgent priority for the safety of the President. This is now shown up as a lie.  

In fact, there is now no doubt that the leasing and purchase of new jets for VVIP transport is a mere vanity project into which many billions of South African tax rands will be plundered.

It is evident that the ANC government at the hands of President Zuma are not focused on job creation and would rather use taxpayers money on unnecessary and expensive jets.

The DA has maintained from the outset of this “jet” saga that there is no reason for the leasing of other jets when millions of rands are being spent maintaining the existing presidential jet, Inkwazi, which is fit for purpose.

The tender, issued on 22 April 2016, is for the leasing of “an inter-continental air transport system in support of democracy” to carry 15 government VIPs up to 10 000km non-stop. The ANC wants to cater to the extravagant lifestyles of their chosen elite, while ordinary South Africans can barely make ends meet. The DA will continue to advocate for the abandonment of the ending of the entire jet leasing debacle – our citizens need jobs, not jets. 

I will today write to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to seek her answers to these questions:

- What is the current status of both the long-term lease tender which is said to have been put on hold, as well as plans to purchase a new jet?

- How much is being currently being spent on charters, since the President refuses to use Inkwazi for trips?

- Why are Inkwazi and other VVIP jets allegedly faulty, despite the R230 million spent on maintaining them in the past two years?

On 3 August, South Africans have the opportunity to vote in a DA government, South Africans have the opportunity to vote for jobs, not jets.  

Issued by Kobus Marais, DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, 27 July 2016