ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said the revelation from its Government of National Unity (GNU) Performance Tracker that Ministers in the coalition government have racked up more than R200-million in travel expenses since assuming office less than a year ago, paints a damning picture of “executive indulgence” during an “economic crisis”.

Beesley explained that the figure of R200-million was revealed in the latest replies to ActionSA’s parliamentary questions submitted to every Minister, including the President, Deputy President and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.

ActionSA is awaiting updated replies to its questions on the expenditure.

He pointed to what he called “the latest addition to the GNU’s globe-trotting saga”, the long-overdue reply from Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, whose department has spent R6.6-million on international travel.

“…not only is this spending exorbitant, but it is riddled with red flags, gaps, and inconsistencies.

“Among the most shocking items is a R164 556 payment for a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place. 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,” Beesley said.

He wants McKenzie to explain whether the loss was unavoidable and whether all efforts were made to recover the funds, saying it reflected a “serious failure” of financial oversight and internal control if he could not prove so.

Beesley also noted McKenzie’s deputy Peace Mabe’s trip to the Havana Book Fair, costing over R200 000.

“In the middle of a literacy crisis, the GNU prioritises photo opportunities abroad over real reform at home,” he said.

He further noted that no cost breakdowns were provided for Mabe’s trip to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles or her visit to the Creative Africa Nexus event in Algeria.

These omissions raised the question of what else is being hidden, with ActionSA noting that a department that failed to provide basic reporting on travel costs could not be trusted with public money.

Beesley claimed that the reply from McKenzie’s office also ignored the request for a full breakdown of domestic and international travel, saying this reflected a broader culture of “selective transparency” that he claimed defined the GNU government.

Furthermore, he noted a reply, which revealed that Deputy President Paul Mashatile and his wife spent over R900 000 on just four nights’ accommodation in Japan.

“That’s enough to build a decent home for a family in need for each night they spent in luxury. This kind of wasteful expenditure, an extension of African National Congress excesses now rebranded under the GNU, has become business as usual for the world’s most bloated executive,” he said.

Beesley explained that ActionSA had introduced its first piece of legislation: the Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill, to tackle the culture of unchecked spending head-on.

He said this Bill sought to slash ministerial perks and restore much-needed fiscal discipline.