August 05, 2007, 16:45
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the deputy health minister, took a "consultant" in her office along with her son on a trip to Spain, allegedly without obtaining presidential approval, at a cost of R160 000 to the taxpayer.
Ministers and deputy ministers need the president's approval to travel outside the country. The three flew business class, stayed at a luxury hotel and were allocated generous spending money while abroad, the City Press said today.
An anonymous whistleblower has written a letter to President Thabo Mbeki to draw his attention to the unauthorised Madrid trip.
There is evidence of other expenses incurred by the department due to Sukhthi Naidoo, the consultant, taking regular trips around the country, flying business class, hiring luxury cars and sleeping in hotels at taxpayers' expense.
Trip not approved by Mbeki
The letter says that during a trip to North West, Naidoo spent the night at the Palace of the Lost City and then flew business class from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The letter, in possession of the newspaper is accompanied by detailed evidence of expenses incurred during the trip.
Mukoni Ratshitanga, the presidential spokesperson, confirmed that the presidency had received the letter. "We received the letter. We will bring it to the president's attention,” he said.
Madlala-Routledge said she had been invited by the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) to address their seminar on Aids vaccines scheduled for June 12 to 15.
She told Lulu Xingwana, the acting health minister at the time that she would be taking Simon, her son, an NGO activist and Naidoo on the trip. Total costs for the trip, including spending money amounted to R161 000.
Written reply
But Xingwana, in a written reply, advised Madlala-Routledge to ask the president for permission to go on the trip.
Madlala-Routledge then wrote to Mbeki to request presidential authority for the overseas trip. Mbeki replied on June 11, a day before she was to travel, with a written one-liner "Not Approved" and added his signature. Madlala-Routledge went ahead anyway.
On June 12, the head of ministerial services in her office wrote to the South African High Commission in London to advise that the deputy minister and her entourage would be passing through and to request that they be assisted while in transit.
The South African Mission in Spain was also informed.
Meanwhile DA spokesman Mike Waters said: "If Madlala-Routledge ignored the regulations and spent taxpayers' money on an unauthorised trip regardless of the importance of the particular conference... she must repay the money." - Sapa
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