Cape Town — ActionSA has slammed the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) for spending over R10 million on travel since assuming office.
CoGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa disclosed the department’s domestic and international travel expenses, which include his own costs and those of his deputies, Zolile Burns-Ncamashe and Namane Masemola, according to TimesLIVE .
The figures reveal that R3,462,238 was spent on Hlabisa, R3,959,611 on Burns-Ncamashe, and R2,620,586 on Masemola, totaling R10,042,435. The expenses covered trips to countries such as Germany, Namibia, China, Ethiopia, Brazil, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe for meetings and events.
In a statement, ActionSA criticised Hlabisa and his office, accusing him of continuing the wasteful practices of his predecessors.
“Just last month, ActionSA exposed that the Ministry of Minerals and Petroleum Resources, led by Minister Gwede Mantashe, spent R1.92 million on what appears to be luxury international flights and accommodation since September 2024. While that bill is exorbitant, it pales in comparison to the Ministry of Cooperative Governance,” said ActionSA’s Alan Beesley.
The party accused Hlabisa of having an “apparent obsession with overseas travel” and reminded him that South Africa’s 257 municipalities face severe neglect while he and his deputies travel extensively abroad.
🤑 The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Ministry, led by Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, has racked up a travel bill of over R10 million since he and his deputies assumed office.https://t.co/XMmCxSvsGM
In a reply to our parliamentary question, the CoGTA…
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) January 9, 2025
“Our municipalities are struggling to make ends meet, whether due to financial mismanagement or a glaring lack of resources—resources that could have been bolstered by this staggering travel bill,” Beesley.
He criticized the findings as evidence of a troubling continuation of wasteful habits within the Government of National Unity (GNU), highlighting an over-reliance on costly travel arrangements amid severe socio-economic challenges.
“Under the guise of official duties, taxpayer money is being drained to fund what appears to be lavish travel expenditures. These patterns reflect a broader failure by the ANC to prioritize fiscal discipline in governance,” Beesley added.
ActionSA’s GNU Performance Tracker revealed that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and CoGTA collectively spent over R11 million on travel, underscoring the need for accountability.
“Transparency in government spending is essential to restore public trust. This initiative is part of our broader effort to hold officials accountable and to shed light on excessive and wasteful expenditures. With millions of South Africans unemployed and essential services underfunded, every cent of public money must be spent prudently,” Beesley said.
The party proposed stricter regulations for government travel expenses, including mandatory disclosure of travel class and cost justifications, comprehensive audits to identify wastage, and prioritizing local engagement and digital platforms over international trips.
“ActionSA is committed to advocating for a government that prioritizes the needs of South Africans, not the comforts of its ministers. We will continue to demand accountability on behalf of citizens whose hard-earned taxes fund these extravagances,” Beesley concluded.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
