While ignorance is no excuse, his “honesty” by “honestly” saying he did not know that the private jet that flew him to Japan belonged to the Gupta family is “honestly” hard to believe. The members of the Gupta empire is big buddies with his boss, President Jacob Zuma.
The deputy to Zuma, another symbol of “honesty” in South Africa, was responding to a question in the National Council of Provinces by EFF member Vusiwana Mtileni.
The private jet is registered to Westdawn Investments, which is owned by the Gupta family. President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane is also a director at the company.
Ramaphosa said the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) couldn’t find an appropriate plane among its fleet (to take him to Tokyo), so an aircraft had to be chartered. “In this case it so happened that because of the commitments that we had and the number of other engagements, the best way to travel was to have a plane chartered. That is the reality, believe it or not.”
Eyewitness News revealed that the jet, which ferried the government delegation on the official visit, was hired by the Department of Defence (DoD). Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said there was nothing untoward about the use of the plane.
Earlier the Department of Defence said it did not know how much the flight cost. Spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said this would be disclosed only next year in the department’s budget.
“The SA Air Force leases when an aircraft is unsuitable for the trip to be undertaken or when the aircraft is due for service or is in service. Such leasing is done through a central contract managed by the government through the national Treasury RTC-61 contract,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s Japan trip ended last week. It is believed the presidential plane will soon be heading to China, and that there are not enough pilots.
“This [flight to Japan] is very strange and it poses the question, even though it was hired through Execujet, why specifically the Gupta family’s jet,” DA defence spokesman Kobus Marais said.
Marais said there were other air force aircraft that could have been used, including the presidential jet. Another alternative was to do what some other heads of states, like the British prime minister, did and use the national carrier.
We suppose that’s not really keeping up with the Ramaphosas…
The Eastern Province Herald quotes aviation experts and a jet hire company website who estimate that the Bombardier Global Express 6000 flight would have cost in excess of R5-million, with the cost of hiring the plane usually starting at about R9,000 an hour.
Political analyst Daniel Silke said Ramaphosa had done his cause no favours by entangling himself with the Gupta family.
