The DA in KZN has called on Premier Senzo Mchunu to recover R1m in state funds from his predecessor, Zweli Mkhize.
|||Durban - The DA caucus in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature has called on Premier Senzo Mchunu to recover about R1 million in government funds from his predecessor, Zweli Mkhize, who is now the ANC treasurer-general.
A reply to a parliamentary question showed that the former premier spent almost R1m on chartered flights to attend weddings and funerals.
These flights, the DA said, were for “purely personal reasons”.
The reply revealed that Mkhize made 45 flights in 2010, 2011 and last year. These cost at least R16 000 each. The most expensive flight on the list was made on April 24, 2011 and the bill was R58 809. The reason for the flight from Pietermaritzburg to Umtata in the Eastern Cape was given as “attending the wedding of Sambula”.
“On two occasions in 2012, Mkhize chartered private planes to attend weddings,” said Sizwe Mchunu, the DA leader in KZN.
“One wedding was held in Umtata, with the private jet costing R58 809, and another was in Hluhluwe, with the private jet costing R22 204. Other personal flights included flights to funerals. These flights were all paid for by the KZN government.”
The DA leader said spending on these flights had been excessive. He pointed out that Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, the DA leader, “always travels in economy class” when on government business.
He said some of Mkhize’s flights would have cost as little as R5 000 had he decided to fly economy class.
The premier’s office has said that the use of private aircraft by premiers when executing their duties is nothing new and does not constitute abuse of power or government funds.
“Every cent spent by the office of the premier is accounted for during normal auditing processes that are undertaken by the auditor-general and parliament’s portfolio committee on public accounts,” it said.
“To date, the office of the premier has not received any indication of the abuse of public funds.”
KZN was mainly a rural province and members of the executive had to ensure that government programmes reached every citizen in every corner of the province, it said.
bheki.mbanjwa@inl.co.za
Daily News