Cape Town — The ANC has dismissed allegations from the DA that accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile of using the South African Air Force (SAAF) as a personal taxi service.
In a DA statement, Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Kobus Marais, said there was ambiguity between the Ministerial Handbook and the Presidential Handbook. He condemned the two politicians for their continued usage of the South African Air Force (SAAF) aircrafts to attend ANC party political events.
He recently took notice of the 10 trips that they undertook in the lead up to the ANC’s January 8 statement in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
“This provides clear evidence that the ambiguity in the Presidential Handbook was not only being abused but was now being deliberately exploited to turn the SAAF into a taxi service for ANC political party purposes.” Marais said.
The DA condemns the misuse of SA Air Force aircraft by President Ramaphosa and Deputy President Mashatile to attend ANC political events.
This is a clear abuse of state resources and taxpayers can no longer afford to sponsor the ANC’s taxi service.https://t.co/XPEX7G7GnT
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) January 22, 2024
The ANC responded to the DA’s claims and, according to the head of the Presidency, Sibongile Besani, said the DA’s assertions were spurious, IOL reported.
“This is an attempt to de-legitimise the governing party. The president of the country does not cease to be the president of the country. It is not like 8 o’clock to 4 o’clock and then afterwards he can use that. The Presidential Handbook allows. It says at all times, the transportation of these two officials has got to be taken care of by various people – whether it is SAPS or the SA Air Force at all times,” Besani said.
“Wherever the president is, his transportation is in the custodianship of the State. This is an attempt to de-legitimise a governing party. We will not accept that argument.” he added.
“It is very clear according to the Presidential Handbook that the president (of the ANC) will never cease to be the president of the country, whether he is at an ANC event or not,” he concluded.
Besani also dismissed allegations that numerous ANC officials had also been given transport in the presidential aircraft.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
