South African Police purchases very own private jet
The South African Police Services bought a R150-million top-of-the-range business private jet so that their top brass can fly to the opening of new police stations and other functions.
The luxury aircraft will be used to usher cabinet ministers and senior officials around South Africa. However, the purchase of the jet has already resulted in serious problems as there have been complaints. Some are speculating why the government has used such a large amount of money for the plane.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa revealed his department’s extravagant spending in a written reply in Parliament.
He confirmed that his department had bought a Cessna Citation Sovereign private business jet in February last year to fly senior cops and Cabinet ministers around the country and abroad. Mthethwa, his deputy, Fikile Mbalula, and a number of high-ranking police officials use the aircraft regularly.
Firstly, in a written reply to Parliament the Minister stated that the jet was purchased in February 2008. Now this was long before he was appointed to the police portfolio. Whether the decision was approved under his predecessor, the Minister will not shy away from responding to any financial decision that might have taken place before he assumed office.
For the record, this is not Minister Mthethwa’s private jet, but a South African Police (SAPS) jet and government property. In the written reply, he outlined that the jet’s transportation were all official and operational duties and at no certain point was the jet used for private purposes. The national commissioner has also made a provision that this aircraft can be utilised by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for specific missions where necessary.
The jet has been effectively used for amongst other purposes: transportation of members of the special task force to hostage situations, for example in Eastern Cape; transportation of police leadership and management; transportation of joint operation and intelligence structure to provinces to evaluate the state of readiness of security personnel regarding the national and provincial elections in 2009; as well as various events such as the FIFA 2009 Confederations Cup and planning for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
