SANDF jet: EFF calls for defence minister to be suspended

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have called for the suspension of Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for abusing state resources after she allegedly used a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) jet to travel to Harare, Zimbabwe with other African National Congress (ANC) officials. 

The party further called on the ANC to compensate the State for the illegal use of its resources. 

EFF CONDEMNS USE OF SANDF JET BY THE ANC 

The party says it condemns the abuse of state resources such as a SANDF jet by the ruling party. 

“In an act reminiscent of the infamous Gupta Waterkloof landing, a delegation of civilians from the ANC used a military aircraft to conduct party business in Zimbabwe. They were aided by the Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula in gross abuse of state resources,” it said in a statement. 

The EFF said the abuse of power reveals a ruling party that has no grasp of the separation of powers between the party and the State. 

“It reveals an organisation whose corruption has gone on with such impunity that they now use military aircraft to conduct lift clubs. The ANC envoys to Zimbabwe have no right to utilise state resources to conduct their business and, furthermore, have no clearance to utilise military resources,” it added. 

“It is a slippery slope when military apparatus is used by a political party to further its interests and relations with other political parties. As a country, we will reap the consequences of this abuse of military power the day the ANC is confronted with the loss of political power,” it added. 

RAMAPHOSA ASKS MAPISA-NQAKULA TO EXPLAIN  

On Friday 11 September, the presidency announced that Ramaphosa called on Mapisa-Nqakula to furnish him with a report detailing the circumstances regarding the SANDF flight. 

“In the interest of good governance and the prudent and ethical use of state assets, the President has directed the Minister to provide a report within 48 hours that will set out the circumstances around the flight and the passenger list,” the presidency said. 

He also gave the defence minister 48 hours to provide the report. Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, in an interview with eNCA, said one cannot travel without authority. 

“You cannot go without the authority, and the authority was not to the ANC, the authority is the defence and the minister of defence getting all the necessary permissions to do that. There’s no way we can get into a flight and fly off,” she said.