Committee to probe Mlambo-Ngcuka's flights

Mlambo-Ngcuka pushes for fair market trade in Africa

Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, has appointed a committee to probe costly flights by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the deputy president, and other VIPs, he announced today.

The investigation would start in the first week of January and would be headed by Kgomotso Moroka SC, the former SA National Defence Force member and Benno Smit, the reserve force general, he said.

"It will place the public in a position where objectively the public may be able to determine whether there is a deliberate and illegal or corrupt attempt to provide what people call the gravy plane to certain individuals."

Lekota said the committee would look into all Defence Department aircraft charters between April 27 2004 and December 10 2006. It would be charged with determining whether aircraft charters were efficient and cost effective.

Lekota expected the probe to take three months. He said that although the committee's full report would be available only to the defence department, its findings would be made public. - Sapa