Deputy President Paul Mashatile has disclosed that his office had spent R2.3 million on a single working visit to Japan in March of 2025. This included expenses of flights, accommodations, ground support, restaurant services, and laundry costs. Overall, the Deputy President confirmed that about R7.9 million was spent from the state treasury on four official trips by Mashatile undertaken since July 2024. The latest revelation added to previous travel expenditure totalling over R5.5 million since the Government of National Unity (GNU) took office in July 2024. The revelation came in response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA MP Lerato Mikateko Ngobeni, who requested a complete breakdown of all official travel undertaken by Mashatile since assuming office on 3 July 2024.
Mashatile highlighted Japan’s position as South Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner as a key motivation for the visit. He noted that “many Japanese companies have expanded investment plans in the pipeline in South Africa, thereby having assured the South African Government of Japan’s trust and support in its economic policies.” During the working visit, Mashatile and his delegation engaged with Japan’s business community across various sectors including manufacturing and machinery, mining and mineral beneficiation, energy cooperation, the automotive industry, and greater market access for South African agricultural products. According to the deputy president, key engagements included a visit to the Isuzu Fujisawa Plant Service, meetings with Dr Akhiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and discussions with the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League.
The delegation also met with representatives from the Japanese business community, including the Japan External Trade Organisation, the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security, Keidanren, and the Association of the African Economy and Development in Japan Committee.
The visit was clearly a diplomatic manoeuvre on the part of Pretoria to attract investment and trade from Tokyo to promote a job increase and economic growth. This was at a time when President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government was having negative diplomatic relations with the United States and its President Donald Trump. Japan too has had bad relations with Washington and has been looking to expand its economic footprint elsewhere. Although Mashatile and a high-level delegation were in Tokyo and elsewhere in Japan to improve economic relations with the Asian giant, they should have been more cautious about the extent of their spending. Neither the public nor the opposition are amused by the amount being spent on foreign “working” trips. These should be worked out in accordance with a fixed budget.
Yes, meeting would high level leaderships in a foreign economy is important and the South African delegation wanted to promote important interest in our country’s job creation interests. However, it should not be done at the expense of the South African tax payers.
ActionSA said the public paid for flights and accommodation for an event that was ultimately abandoned, a textbook case of wasteful expenditure, as defined by the Public Finance Management Act. Defending his ministry, McKenzie said it would not be right to expect ministers not to fly business class on long flights. In a statement, ActionSA MP Alan Beesley condemned these as wasteful expenditures, saying that it was enough to build a decent home for a family in need for each night they spent in luxury. “South Africans deserve leadership that puts people before perks and not an R200 million travel spree by the world’s largest cabinet,” Beesley said. ActionSA has tabled the Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill, a bold legislative move aimed at curbing excessive government spending and promoting fiscal accountability. This bill seeks to slash ministerial perks and restore much-needed fiscal discipline.
South Africa’s current members of the executive branch need to work their budgets along much needed ethical guidelines. ActionSA is in the right to introduce the Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill, to limit the President, Deputy President and Cabinet Ministers to respective fiscal limits when it comes to excessive spending. It remains to be seen how other parties both within the GNU and the opposition respond to this legislation. Who will support it and what lessons will be drawn from it? Excessive expenditure of R 200 million could be put to better use than flight trips for state business. Yes, state business is important for economic growth and job creation but so is fiscal responsibility. South Africa is facing significant inflation and price hikes. Would it really cost ministers like McKenzie to fly business class? If the GNU were to be at least be considerate of the strain they put on the public treasury they may gain traction among voters.
So far, the VAT increase leaves much to be desired for.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
