Source Article: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/New-planes-for-presidency-Report-20130525
Johannesburg - The defence force will buy new presidential jets and planes as soon as possible, the Saturday Star reported.
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the Cape Town Press Club on Friday the department was spending millions each week on chartering aircraft because many of the current planes were so old.
According to the report the department was looking into buying VVIP (very very important people) jets as well as strategic airlifting capacity planes as soon as possible.
"We're running out of time," Mapisa-Nqakula said.
She said the Treasury had allocated money to buy the new planes.
These new aircraft would charter VVIP's including President Jacob Zuma, the deputy president, former presidents and the minister and deputy minister of defence, the Saturday Star reported.
"Every week we pay millions of rand chartering aircraft for strategic airlift capability, which far exceeds the money we would have spent by purchasing," Mapisa-Nqakula said.
"If you look at some of our aircraft, they're 60 to 62-years-old and should be museum pieces. I won't elaborate on some of the experiences I've had... but this process [to buy aircraft] must begin."
In 2009 Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe had to make an emergency landing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after problems with his jet and in 2011 the aircraft he was due to travel in had problems before take-off from Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria.
Last year Mapisa-Nqakula cancelled plans to buy a R2bn presidential jet.- SAPA
This is another ridiculous story of money wasting. Why would
government officials need to have private jets? In a country where the
government is rife with corruption and excessive wastes in taxpayer’s money,
how can it be justified that the government that prides itself as working
towards a better future for all South Africans is allowed to throw money around
for ridiculous expenses? If they were truly interested in improving the lives
of the people in South Africa they would be willing to sacrifice the first class
lifestyle they cherish so much and make their officials fly coach so as to have
money to spend on the betterment of the people that voted for them.
In Equal Money Capitalism such privileges would not exist,
so as to ensure the integrity of government officials in acting in the best
interests of all.
Investigate Equal Money at www.equalmoney.org
