Taxpayers spent nearly R450K for Cele’s assistant to attend Rugby World Cup final

It has emerged that taxpayers forked out nearly R450 000 to fund the trip of Police Minister Bheki Cele’s assistant to France for the Rugby World Cup final.

In a parliamentary question, Cele was asked by the Democratic Alliance (DA) whether he attended the final with Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale or any other official in his department on 28 October.

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Additionally, the party sought information from the minister concerning the expenses related to travel and accommodation for the trip to France, where the 2023 Rugby World Cup was hosted.

The Springboks beat All Blacks at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, to win the tournament.

Company pays for Cele’s trip

Cele, in his reply, revealed that R33 256 was spent on his trip to France and was sponsored by a private company.

“Yes, the trip was fully sponsored by a private company for the minister of police except for the S&T and travel insurance,” said Cele in a response to DA MP Greg Krumbock’s question.

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The minister also indicated government paid R446 339.43 for his executive assistant’s trip as well.

“The executive assistant to the minister of police, accompanied the minister of police as an official assistant, flights, accommodation and ground transport were incurred by the ministry of police, however, meals and access to the stadium was sponsored by the private company,” the written reply further states.

According to Cele, no other related costs were incurred by his department.

‘Trip not part of ministerial duties’

The DA has confirmed that it will submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to Cele to get more information about the name of the private company, whether Cele’s assistant flew in business or first class, and if the person stayed in five-star hotels on the taxpayer’s dime.

The party also wants the minister to share details with regards to the purpose of the assistant travelling to the World Cup, whether any additional expenses were paid for by the taxpayer for VIP protection, and whether the private company has any dealings with the South African Police Service (Saps) or the government.

The DA further seeks to ascertain whether the “gifts” were not provided by a company involved in the supply chain of police equipment or other tenders, since such gratuity would “fall foul” of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act and its accompanying code of conduct.

“At the same time, it is unfathomable that the minister would allow almost half-a-million rand to be spent on an assistant where Saps already has budgetary restrictions, shortages of detectives and dilapidated police stations,” DA MP Okkie Terblanche said in a statement.

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“However, notwithstanding the above, it is clear this trip was not part of ministerial duties, as it was a privately funded trip and as such, any staff member being covered by the taxpayer for a personal trip is in clear violation of the act and code of conduct.”

Terblanche highlighted that the code states a member must at all times act in the interests of good governance and may not act in a manner that exposes them to risks of conflict of interests, nor use their position to improperly benefit any other person.

In terms of the code, MPs are required to disclose their financial interests annually including foreign travel other than personal visits paid by the member, business visits unrelated to the member’s role as a public representative and official and formal visits paid for by an organ of state or the member’s party.