ANC delegation ferried to Zimbabwe on air force jet
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has defended the decision to ferry members of the African National Congress (ANC) to Zimbabwe on a South African Air Force jet earlier this week.
It’s emerged that Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula travelled to Zimbabwe on official business, giving the ANC a lift.
The ANC-led delegation visited the country to help find solutions on its ongoing political and economic crisis.
SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini says there was nothing untoward about the travel arrangements.
“The meeting of the ANC in Zimbabwe coincided with the meeting of the minister of defence and military veterans who was travelling to Zimbabwe to meet her counterpart in preparation for a SADC Troika Meeting and the UN Reconfiguration of the Force Intervention which comprises troops from the SADC Region,” says Dlamini.
The military did however accede that it’s not common practice.
“The ANC delegation was going to deal with issues that are having a direct impact on South Africa. This is not a common occurrence and has never happened before.”
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Critics say years of repression in Zimbabwe worsened in the run-up to banned anti-government protests on July 31 during which at least 20 demonstrators were arrested and charged with inciting public violence. African National Congress (ANC) party secretary general Ace Magashule said at the end of the day-long meeting, there were "challenges that are serious in Zimbabwe, as there are challenges in South Africa...
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has since called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the matter.
The party believes the ANC is guilty of blurring the lines between party and state.
“Not only do we call on President Ramaphosa to clarify this brazen corruption by his party, but the DA also calls on the ANC to immediately payback the money that SANDF spent on transporting its party delegation to Zimbabwe,” the party says in a statement.
“Given the enormous budget constraints on the SANDF, this theft of scarce resources, compromises the integrity and safety of South Africa.”
Lobby group AfriForum says it has laid a complaint at Office of the Public Protector.
A ‘Crisis’ that became a ‘challenges’ that will see #acemagashule & co coming back another time, when it becomes a ‘crisis’ . Well...It was a big ASK to expect ANC to reign in fellow liberation war party! All Stakeholders need to unite. The Malawi model springs to mind! pic.twitter.com/J6yGYuFPk6
— Lloyd Msipa🇿🇼 (@LloydMsipa) September 9, 2020