President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed that documentation relating to a recent visit to Zimbabwe by Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula be made public.
This comes after the defence minister was slapped with a reprimand by President Ramaphosa for conveying an African National Congress (ANC) delegation to Zimbabwe on an aircraft of the South African Air Force (SAAF) on September 8, 2020.
Related: President Ramaphosa served Mapisa-Nqakula with reprimand for Zim trip
Publication of the Minister’s initial and supplementary reports to the President is informed by the President’s commitment to transparency.
The President has also directed the Minister to make sure that the ANC reimburses the state for the costs of the flight to Harare and to report to him once that has been done.
The President took this action after his consideration of the Minister’s initial report and a supplementary report that the President had directed the Minister to provide on the circumstances that led to the ANC delegation travelling on a South African Air Force plane.
While the Minister was on an official trip for which the President had given permission and for which she was entitled to use a SAAF aircraft, the President found that it was an error of judgment to use the plane to convey a political party delegation.
