Over R36m spent on flight tickets for retired ministers and their spouses, says DA

The Democratic Alliance says parliament has spent over R36 million on business class tickets for retired ministers, deputy ministers and their spouses between June 2013 and March 2019.

“It is absolutely shocking that the legislative branch of government spends millions of rands every year to ferry around retired members of the executive and their families.

“This provision that parliament must pay for the jet-setting lifestyles of former ministers – which is contained in the Ministerial Handbook – grossly undermines the separation between the legislative and executive arms of government.

“It is also an obscene waste of money. Ministers are paid over R2.4 million per year, including a very generous pension.

“In addition to this salary and pension, the Ministerial Handbook also uses taxpayer money to provide ministers with luxurious lifestyles. Even more shocking is that the amount of money wasted on these retired cadres has been steadily increasing since 2013, when Parliament spent R3.8 million on flights for retired ministers, deputies, and their spouses,” said the party in a statement.

The DA said it would fight to ensure the provision that parliament must pay for the lifestyles of former ministers is scrapped entirely.

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