How much each South African Minister has spent on travel
Here is a list of the amount of taxpayer money the ministers in the Government of National Unity (GNU) have spent on travel during their first 18 months in office.
ActionSA has been tracking government spending through its GNU Performance Tracker, "a comprehensive index designed to monitor and hold accountable South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU)."
READ: Red Level 10 weather warning for flood-stricken Limpopo, Mpumalanga
The political party states that each metric used for the tracker is measured against a predetermined ActionSA benchmark, informed by government targets, international best practice, and ActionSA policy recommendations.
According to their system, the ministers in the GNU have spent R448 million on travel and accommodation expenses since taking office.
READ: Students urged to consider private institutions amid limited public university spaces
They also say that based on official responses received in Parliament, the amount is likely closer to R500 million.
This level of spending reflects an alarming profligacy and an out-of-touch misuse of taxpayer funds.
The Ministerial Handbook states that the ministers are entitled to numerous travel perks, including business-class travel for flights exceeding two hours and accomadation in five-star hotels.
READ: Dion George resigns from DA, takes aim at Steenhuisen
Here is a list of the travel expenses since July 2024 for each ministry:
- The Presidency: Failed to disclose.
- Human Settlements: R32.98 million
- Water and Sanitation: R29.57 million
- Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: R25.27 million
- Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: R24.41 million
- President: R24.17 million
- International Relations and Cooperation: R23.75 million
- Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs: R20.78 million
- Defence and Military Veterans: R20.19 million
- Electricity and Energy: R18.09 million
- Police: R17.53 million
- Science, Technology and Innovation: R15.95 million
- Public Service and Administration: R15.95 million
- Finance: R15.62 million
- Health: R15.26 million
- Transport: R13.05 million
- Higher Education: R15.02 million
- Employment and Labour: R13.97 million
- Trade, Industry and Competition: R13.74 million
- Home Affairs: R10.72 million
- Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: R9.1 million
- Mineral and Petroleum Resources: R8.89 million
- Basic Education: R8.14 million
- Deputy President: R7.9 million
- Tourism: R7.43 million
- Sports, Arts and Culture: R6.7 million
- Justice and Constitutional Development: R5.35 million
- Correctional Services: R5.18 million
- Social Development: R5.13 million
- Small Business Development: R4.64 million
- Communications and Digital Technologies: R4.19 million
- Land Reform and Rural Development: R3.71 million
- Agriculture: R3.67 million
- Public Works and Infrastructure: R3.21 million
According to the tracker, the Department of Human Settlements is the ministry that incurred the highest travel expenses despite Minister Thembi Simelane having said she has not travelled internationally.
READ: Transport Ministry to toughen ‘unacceptable’ drunk driving laws
In response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA, Simelane admitted that over R1-million was spent on car services and an additional R1-million was spent on domestic flights.
Newsday reports that the Department of Water and Sanitation (number two on the list) spent R620,650 in June 2025 on a trip to Russia for the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, despite the accommodation and transport costs being covered by the event.
READ: Gauteng Education sets 10-day deadline to resolve placement backlog
The R620,650 amount consists only of flight costs for the Minister, Pemmy Majodina, her Chief of Staff, her Private Secretary and the Department Director of Africa Multilateral Relations.
The Department of Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities (the third-highest spender), under Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, came under scrutiny in September 2025 after it was revealed that Chikunga had spent over R6 million of taxpayer funds on a departmental trip to New York City for a United Nations event.
READ: ANC Limpopo introduces new security measures ahead of provincial conference
More than 80 people, including deputy ministers, senior officials and sector representatives, attended the event, which the Chikunga insisted was necessary to champion women’s rights internationally.
ActionSA MP Malebo Patricia Kobe asked former DA Minister Dion George to provide a breakdown of these travel costs in July 2025, but George refused.
READ: Public Works Minister welcomes the resignation of IDT boss
He said that “providing a breakdown of each trip, including specific destinations and individual justifications, is constrained by the protection of the Personal Information Act (POPIA).”
ActionSA's Alan Beesly says that "while travel is important in representing South Africa on the global stage, it’s the extent of the travel expenses due to the size of the bloated GNU cabinet that leads to such high expenses."
Tune in to 'The Drive with Rob & Roz', on weekdays from 16:00 – 19:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.
Listen to Jacaranda FM:
- 94.2
- Jacaranda FM App
- http://jacarandafm.com
- DStv 858/ OpenView 602
Follow us on social media:
Image: GCIS