Minister of Police Bheki Cele has faced backlash for his admission that his personal assistant’s trip to the Rugby World Cup cost over half a million rand. The controversial politician disclosed the information during a parliamentary question by the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance. Cele was among many cabinet ministers who attended the World Cup finale between South Africa and New Zealand in October in France.
A statement issued by the DA revealed that Bheki Cele’s trip to the Rugby World Cup was funded by an “unnamed private company.”
However, his executive assistant’s travel and accommodation to the value of nearly R500 000 were paid for with taxpayer money. Cele’s travel insurance and allowance will also paid by South Africans.
It shared: “At the same time, it is unfathomable that the Minister would allow almost half a million Rand to be spent on an assistant where SAPS already has budgetary restrictions, shortages of detectives, and dilapidated SAPS stations.“However, notwithstanding the above, it is clear that this trip was not part of Ministerial duties, as it was a privately funded trip, and as such, any staff member being covered by the taxpayer for a personal trip is in clear violation of the (Executive Members’ Ethics) Act and Code of Conduct.
The DA – who have issued a PAIA application into the expenditure – are demanding to know if Bheki Cele’s assistant flew in business or first class and stayed in 5-star hotels, “which were for the taxpayer’s dime.”
The DA has revealed that close to half a million rand of taxpayers money was used to sponsor Bheki Cele’s executive assistant’s trip to watch the Rugby World Cup.
The DA will now file a PAIA application to access more information about the trip.https://t.co/WQ69OQ0vPQ
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) December 6, 2023
Source: eNCA
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