Found the English one...
Govt carries can for Phumzile
10/01/2006 22:52 - (SA)
Erika Gibson, Beeld
Pretoria - The government takes full responsibility for providing transport
and security to the president and deputy-president - irrespective of whether
they are on official or private trips.
This was the reaction on Tuesday of presidency spokesperson Murphy Morobe to
the trip deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and her family took, which
cost taxpayers about R400 000.
Mlambo-Ngcuka, husband Bulelani and their children were on holiday from
December 27 to 31 in the United Arab Emirates.
An air force Falcon 900 jet, one of the VIP planes used for the government's
official trips, was used for transporting the group.
The operational cost of the flight is calculated at about R400 000.
Morobe said the requirements for transporting the president and deputy
president were determined on the basis of safety, cost and convenience.
"In this case, the deputy president was advised that the safety prerequisite
could best be provided by an air force plane," said Morobe.
Difficult to make a comparison
He added that these transport arrangements were part of the government's
practice - similar to the standard procedures that "are followed by many
governments throughout the world".
Dr Dirk Kotzé of the political science department at Unisa said it was
difficult to make such a comparison because few countries had a deputy
president, reports Liezel de Lange.
"Most have a president and a prime minister, and the latter is generally not
treated at the same level as a deputy president."
Most countries bear the transport costs of their head of state, such as when
President George Bush of the USA goes to Texas for a holiday. The USA also
has a vice-president who is treated similarly.
But, Kotzé pointed out that British Prime Minister Tony Blair seldom allowed
the government to pay for his holiday arrangements, and that he always flew
with the national airline.
In Kotzé's opinion, safety was a consideration in Mlambo-Ngcuka's holiday
arrangements, but "comfort" was not a convincing argument because she could
have flown business-class on a commercial airline.
"Purely from an ethical point of view, a distinction must be drawn between
private and official visits."
'Only for official flights'
Morobe said earlier that Mlambo-Ngcuka used the air force plane under the
provisions of the cabinet manual regarding transport allocated to her.
This manual on the ethical conduct of cabinet ministers states that air
force planes can be used only for official flights for the account of a
cabinet minister's department.
The prerequisites for such flights are that no commercial flights can give
the individual time for his official obligations, when the safety of the
individual requires it or when commercial flights are not cost-effective or
are not available.