Africa-Press – South-Africa. The defence and military veterans ministry spent more than R20m on travel expenses from July 2024 to July 2025.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question by ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni, defence and military veterans minister Angie Motshekga provided a breakdown of how she, her two deputies and support staff spent taxpayers’ money on 22 international trips to Russia, Angola, China, Saudi Arabia, France and other countries.
Here’s a breakdown of how much was spent:
R4,931,185 on car hire;
R5,569,029 on domestic travel;
R5,204,723 on international travel;
R3,040,637 on accommodation;
R280,548 on domestic subsistence and travel (S&T);
R580,418 on foreign S&T and
R578,690 on shuttle services.
Ngobeni questioned the spending, saying the South African National Defence Force is faced with challenges such as budget cuts and insufficient resources.
“How can the minister and her deputies justify this obscene spending?” she said.
“This is the portrait of a government that gorges itself on luxury while soldiers who put their lives on the line are denied the most basic support and our defence force limps along facing a funding crisis, no doubt worsened by the widespread waste illustrated by this travel.
“While ministers sip champagne in foreign capitals, the state of our armed forces is deteriorating, under-resourced, and most disgracefully, 14 of our soldiers were left dead in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while those who have returned have been underpaid their danger and related allowances.”
Through ActionSA’s GNU Tracker, the party said ministers and deputies spent R282m on travel since taking office.
Ngobeni said the party has introduced an enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill to reduce the luxury lifestyles of the executive, as well as the Constitutional Amendment Bill to abolish the position of deputy ministers.
“Together these reforms would save the country R1.5bn annually by cutting this bloated, self-indulgent executive down to size. ActionSA believes it is time to end the luxury lifestyles of politicians, paid for by hardworking South African taxpayers who are increasingly squeezed by a worsening economy, and instead ensure we restore dignity to the men and women who serve in uniform in defence of our country.
“We must focus on building a truly capable defence force that is properly resourced, well-trained and able to serve and protect South Africa at home and abroad.”
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