The KwaZulu-Natal department of health yesterday would give only scant detail on why MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo was flying in a medical emergency helicopter when it was needed to airlift a dying 15-year-boy to hospital.
Head of department Sibongile Zungu said Dhlomo had used the R10-million aircraft, which costs R20000 an hour to use, to fly to Umkhanyakude in northern KwaZulu-Natal to deal with "a sensitive issue involving a young girl locked in a doctor's house".
"I cannot explain more on the issue because it's very sensitive. I don't want to compromise the doctor," she said.
Zungu said senior health officials often booked the emergency helicopter for administrative purposes because it saved a "lot of travel time".
The DA and IFP asked Dhlomo for an explanation during the provincial legislature's special full sitting on Tuesday after it emerged that he was using the helicopter when it was needed to airlift Asheen Maharaj from the scene of a horrific car crash in Pinetown to Albert Luthuli Central Hospital on November 3.
Paramedics were forced to rush the Pietermaritzburg boy to hospital by ambulance.
He was declared brain-dead on arrival at hospital and died on Tuesday morning. His father Ashwin, mother Ashnie and sister Asheena were killed on impact in the crash. They were on their way to a gathering in Phoenix, north of Durban.
Tributes for Asheen poured in on Facebook yesterday.
"My dearest boy, I am so sorry that you had to go through this nightmare a little longer but at the end God knew best and decided to reunite you with your family," his aunt, Tracy Singh, wrote.
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