Government of National Unity Ministers Spent R450 Million on Travelling Costs: ActionSA

• ActionSA has slammed ministers in the Government of National Unity for spending millions on travel since the GNU was formed in 2024
• ActionSA Member of Parliament Alan Beesley spoke in a recent interview and pointed out that the money could have been used for other purposes
• South Africans criticised the party, and many defended the ministers, pointing out the importance of some international trips recently undertaken

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, parliamentary proceedings, and politician-related news, as well as elections, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — ActionSA has criticised ministers in the Government of National Unity (GNU) for incurring a travel bill of approximately R450 million over the past 18 months, since the formation of the GNU following the 2024 general elections.

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ActionSA MP Alan Beesley revealed on Newzroom Afrika that ActionSA used its GNU tracker system to monitor the spending. He said there must be accountability for how the cabinet spends taxpayers' money. He pointed out that over 70% of the parties in the country are in the GNU.

Alan Beesley slams GNU parties

Beesley said that parties that are in the GNU, which were critical of the African National Congress ministers' spending habits, have gone silent. He accused them of jumping on the gravy train.

"They've lost their voices because they're eating caviar and drinking champagne on international travel. It's absolutely absurd," he said.

Beesley said that the expenditure is immoral, indefensible, and outrageous. Beesley also slammed Deputy President Paul Mashatile's working trip to Japan, where R900,000 was spent on accommodation for four nights. He added that the Deputy Director-General who had accompanied the entourage spent R35,000 on accommodation.

"They could have built four houses for needy people to own for the rest of their lives," he said.

South Africans roast ActionSA

Netizens commenting on X berated ActionSA, while others defended the expenditure.

Thabz said:

"R950K is expensive but reasonable for a deputy president. He isn't just a regular person. He didn't travel alone but with maximum security. If ActionSA won the elections, they would have spent the same amount."

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The Concerned Citizen asked:

"Where does a whole deputy president have to be accommodated by this gentleman? At a guesthouse?"

Oscar Mabuela said:

"They are not in the GNU, so they will say this."

Melikhaya Pantsi said:

"ActionSAsupported a budget with such allocated items and were seen as heroes by the GNU. They must lie on the bed they made for themselves."

ActionSA responds to allegations SAPS is looking for Xolani Khumalo

In a related article, Briefly News reported that ActionSA responded to viral allegations that the South African Police Service is seeking its Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo. The party dismissed the allegations.

The party's spokesperson, Lerato Ngobeni, said Khumalo had been publicly campaigning while carrying out his duties as a councillor.

Source: Briefly News