Staff Reporter.
Defence Minister Thandi Modise says the South African Air Force was not responsible for Deputy President David Mabuza’s trips to Russia.
Modise was responding to a written parliamentary question from DA MP Kobus Marais, who asked whether 21 Squadron, or the SAAF, was responsible for Mabuza’s travel arrangements to Russia for medical reasons.
21 Squadron is the VIP transport squadron for ministers and dignitaries to South Africa.
In her response, Modise cited a quote on the issue from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the National Assembly in September last year.
“Whenever the President or the Deputy President goes, at any given time, the transportation is the responsibility… of the government. When they fly, it is the responsibility of the Airforce.”
Modise said the VVIP unit of the SAAF did not task or undertake any flights for Mabuza to Russia from January 2020 to date.
She said the unit and the department is not privy to any arrangements the Deputy President may or may not have made regarding his travel to Russia.Arrangements for flights are only made through the Office of the President or the Deputy President. We have no record of such [a] request and therefore did not make any arrangement.
In September, Mabuza reiterated that he paid for his own flight and medical costs when he visited Russia for medical treatment.
“On the specific matter of the cost of the Deputy President’s flights and medical costs to the Russian Federation, the response informed the official opposition that transport used was a commercial flight paid for at [the] Deputy President’s own personal cost, including for medical costs.”
“The only costs incurred by The Presidency related to the Private Secretary who accompanied the Deputy President as per requirement.
“Furthermore, Parliament was reminded that the Deputy President like any other South African is entitled to choose his preferred medical practitioner. In the recent past in Parliament, the Deputy President took South Africans into confidence about him taking ill and how he ended up receiving life-saving treatment from doctors in the Russian Federation.