WATCH: Ndabeni-Abrahams says she and husband went to Geneva, not Switzerland

Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams’ attempt to defend herself against allegations of misuse of state resources turned awkward in an interview that left viewers confused on Wednesday.

Ndabeni-Abrahams was responding to allegations she used public money to fund her anniversary celebrations by taking her husband, Thato Abrahams, along on working visits to the US and Switzerland.

Two return business class tickets to Switzerland alone reportedly cost the state an alleged R76,719, and her husband had allegedly even used his wife’s officially supplied “chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz S600” to travel from Geneva to Paris, in France, “to go shopping”.

At the time, Ndabeni-Abrahams denied the allegations as a “malicious smear campaign”, reiterating that both policy and process were not flouted in her husband accompanying her to Geneva and New York.

She said in a statement at the time: “That the trip coincided with the minister’s anniversary is of no consequence as public funds were not used and/or misused for this purpose.

“It is also malicious to claim that Mr Abrahams travelled to France on a ‘shopping spree’ utilising public funds as his passport, which is available for scrutiny, clearly reveals that he was in Geneva at all times during this trip.

“A baseless allegation is also made that Mr Abrahams used a ‘chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz S600 that was allocated to the minister’ for the said ‘shopping spree’. This is devoid of all truth because it did not happen.”

In another interview with eNCA on Wednesday morning, Ndabeni-Abrahams again defended herself against the “malicious” allegations and welcomed an investigation into the matter.

She also left South Africans asking where exactly she went with her husband.

She said: “Do you think I would take my husband to a wedding anniversary in Switzerland? I’ve never been to Switzerland. My husband has never been to Switzerland. We went to Geneva and New York to, of course, do the work that I’m expected to do.”

The minister confused South Africans who, all this time, thought Geneva was a city in Switzerland, though some argued that there was another Geneva in the US state of New York.

The city has been trending since, with social media users trying to understand what she meant.

These were some of the reactions:

https://twitter.com/Sochangane/status/1230086039093596161

There is a city called Geneva close toOntario and New York, So its possible that she has never been to Switzerland but has been to Geneva. The Anchor didnt do his research and assumed that she went to Switzerland

— mdue (@mdue) February 19, 2020

Minister Stella Ndabeni says she and her husband have NEVER been to Switzerland. They only went to Geneva. Banna!!! pic.twitter.com/yrmRz5G3K4

— Fana Mokoena (@fanamokoena) February 19, 2020

She knows that Geneva is in Switzerland. But if one only attends meetings of the ILO without fully exploring the city and area, then does it count as having visited the country? It's like a layover at the airport. So she's right, she's never been to Switzerland https://t.co/u2KEgLuT0v

— Phindile Kunene🇵🇸 (@kunenephindz) February 19, 2020

https://twitter.com/Faris_Unchained/status/1230096075408789504

https://twitter.com/Psychodelia2/status/1230095772089225216

The requirements to be a minister of communications do not include geographical skills bethuna. Nam I didn’t know that Geneva is in Switzerland. Please. https://t.co/PtpDgIPg7m

— 🇿🇦🇵🇸 (@ThisIsPalo) February 19, 2020

I grew up in Geneva.
The one in Switzerland.
It's the main Geneva.

There are other Genevas (though little known & unlikely destinations for many people).

These are in the US & Bangladesh, & on Mount Everest.
Some still call the English town Bolton 'the Geneva of the North'. 🙂

— Ottilia Anna MaSibanda (@MaS1banda) February 19, 2020

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