Rustenberg - The North West provincial government was not buying a private jet, Director General Dr Lydia Keneilwe Sebego said on Wednesday.
“There is no exco [executive council] decision to purchase an aircraft.” She said the subject of a possible procurement of an aircraft for the provincial government came up in the October 2016 meeting of the provincial executive council [Exco] when various challenges around the existing flight route between Mahikeng in the province and OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg were being discussed.
“This route is presently being serviced by SA Express airline, which is heavily subsidised by the provincial government. In trying to address the identified challenges, the provincial exco asked itself many questions, one of which was whether the present travel arrangements were effectively servicing the North West government?”
She said the exco agreed to have a cost benefit analysis done in respect of what it would cost the provincial government to have its own aircraft versus continuing to subsidise SA Express.
The department of community safety and transport management was tasked to do the cost benefit analysis exercise through the provincial transport agency, the North West Transport Investment.
“The said cost benefit analysis therefore is not the same as 'procuring or buying a state aircraft'. Newspaper articles are therefore devoid of the truth by saying some decision has been taken to buy an aircraft. There is no exco decision to purchase an aircraft.”
The DA on Sunday said that North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo must choose to put the people of the North West first, and reject a ridiculous plan to buy himself a lavish private jet using public money.
“In the province with the highest unemployment rate in South Africa, at a shocking 44,6 percent, it is simply unconscionable that Supra [Mahumapelo] could put himself first and prepare to purchase a multi-million rand jet, rather than spend money on creating jobs and opportunities,” said DA provincial leader Joe McGluwa.
“A choice to rather support the growth of Mahikeng airport would instead create a public benefit, allowing better connections to our province for business and investment, tourism and trade. Our province needs the connections of a more available Mahikeng airport, not a luxury jet for ANC political elites.”
Sebego said the provincial government noted how the genuine cause for cost benefit analysis had been colour-coded with insinuations by so-called government insiders which had distorted the whole matter completely and portrayed the premier as a somewhat lavish leader who wanted an aircraft for personal gratification.
“The government of Bokone Bophirima [North West] is led by a premier who is leading by example in saving costs and he has already done a lot to show that he means business. For example, Premier Mahumapelo lives in his own private house instead of a state house to reduce the costs that the provincial government would be incurring if he lived in a state house.”
She said Mahumapelo also used his own money to build a guard house at his private property despite the State's offer to do so.
“It is again Premier Mahumapelo who led his exco members to agreeing to purchase official vehicles that cost no more than R600 000, lower than what's prescribed in the Ministerial Handbook. He himself is using cars that were used by two of his predecessors. These cars have already gone beyond the 120 000km.”
She said should the outcome of the cost benefit analysis reveal that it would be cheaper to buy an own aircraft, the department of community safety and transport management would, through the North West Transport Investment, purchase such and it would be for commercial use and not for the exclusive use of the premier or his executive council members.
“If an impression has been created that the provincial government would like to purchase the aircraft for the exclusive use by the Premier or his exco, It is highly regrettable.”
African News Agency