Africa-Press – South-Africa. Deputy President Paul Mashatile has raked up close to R8m in expenditure on international trips since taking office in July 2024.
This was revealed in a parliamentary response which showed that Mashatile visited countries like the UK, Ireland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Japan, his latest trip.
Mashatile’s recent working visit to Japan cost more than R2.3m.
The trip, which took place from March 16 to 19, was described by his office as strategically important, aimed at deepening political, economic and social ties between South Africa and Japan.
The revelation came in response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA MP Lerato Mikateko Ngobeni, who requested a complete breakdown of all official travel undertaken by Mashatile since assuming office on July 3 2024.
According to the presidency the Japan visit marked the first high-level engagement between South Africa and Japan in a decade.
The trip coincided with the two countries celebrating 115 years of diplomatic relations and took place at a time when Japan remains South Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner.
The presidency also revealed that during the visit Mashatile and his delegation engaged Japanese political leaders, business executives and development institutions in an effort to attract investment and reinforce co-operation in key sectors.
Among the highlights of the visit were meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and chief cabinet secretary Yoshihama Hayashi, a keynote address delivered at the UN University in Tokyo and a tour of the Isuzu Fujisawa plant, which has operations in South Africa.
The deputy president also met with the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and participated in discussions with the Japan-AU Parliamentary Friendship League. Talks also took place with leading Japanese economic organisations including the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), Keidanren, and the Association of the African Economy and Development in Japan Committee (AFRECO). These engagements focused on sectors such as manufacturing, energy, mining, agriculture and the automotive industry.
Mashatile was accompanied by several ministers and deputy ministers, including minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie; minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen; minister of higher education Dr Nobuhle Nkabane; minister of trade, industry and competition Parks Tau; deputy minister of international relations and co-operation Thandi Moraka and deputy minister of science and innovation Nomalungelo Gina.
The total cost of the visit as detailed in the parliamentary response amounted to R2,319,138.
The detailed breakdown showed that R613,214 was spent on flights, R1,235,569 on accommodation and R410,926 on ground transport.
A further R59,426 was spent on laundry services and meals, including R8,033 for laundry and R51,393 for food and beverages.
Mashatile’s own flight cost R117,518, while his accommodation amounted to R956,057 and his ground transport R77,360.
His spouse, Humile Mashatile, who also participated in the official programme, incurred travel and accommodation costs of more than R190,000.
The most expensive supporting official was media liaison officer Tshiamo Selomo, whose total trip costs amounted to R580,582.
Other officials included the deputy president’s private secretaries, advisers, communications staff and protocol officers, each with travel-related expenses ranging between R80,000 and R130,000.
This latest expenditure adds to a growing international travel bill for the deputy president since taking office.
Previous trips also disclosed in parliamentary replies include working visits to Ireland and the UK in September and October 2024, attendance at the inauguration of Botswana’s President Duma Boko in November 2024, and participation in the Extraordinary Sadc Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, that same month.
The Ireland and UK visits cost the state R5,475,829, the Botswana trip R52,867 and the Zimbabwe summit R56,166.
Together with the Japan visit, Mashatile’s international travel expenses since July 2024 have now reached nearly R8m.
While the deputy president’s office maintains that these trips are critical for advancing South Africa’s foreign policy and economic interests, the costs have attracted criticism amid public concern over government spending.
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