South Africa’s VVIP flight costs soar

South Africa’s defence department has exceeded its budget for VVIP charter flights – spending more than R97-million between 2015 and 2018.

The amount budgeted for over the same period was more than R74-million. Spending on Very Very Important Person (VVIP) flights was revealed by the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans in a written reply to a question posed in Parliament by the DA.

The department of defence is mandated to transport President Jacob Zuma‚ the deputy president and others safely to local and international destinations.

DA MP Kobus Marais said on Tuesday that at least three “big ticket” VVIP charter flights alone collectively cost more than R12.5-million in the 2016/17 financial year.

“This is what happens when President Zuma refuses to fly on the perfectly functional presidential jet‚ Inkwazi‚” he said in a statement.

Government has previously raised concerns about the reliability of the presidential jet.

In 2015/16‚ the department budgeted R22.8-million for VVIP charter flights and spent R17.7-million; in 2016/2017‚ the budget was R26.8-million but R61-million was spent; and the 2017/18 budget was R24.9-million‚ of which R18.4-million had been spent.