President Ramaphosa docks Minister's salary over Zimbabwe trip
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa (center) makes a point at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, in Cape Town on September 5, 2019.
What you need to know:
- The president said "it was an error of judgment" to use a state aircraft to deliver a political message to another country.
- The amount would be paid to the Solidarity Fund set up to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the salary of the Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula would be docked for three months over a September trip to Zimbabwe.
This comes after Mapisa-Nqakula gave an ANC delegation including Secretary General Ace Magashule a lift to Zimbabwe on an airforce jet.
The delegation used the opportunity to meet with Zimbabwe's ruling party Zanu-PF over political issues happening there.
The president said "it was an error of judgment" to use a state aircraft to deliver a political message to another country.
"The President has further sanctioned the Minister by imposing a salary sacrifice on the Minister's salary for three months, starting from 1 November 2020," acting president's spokesman Tyrone Seale said in a statement.
The amount would be paid to the Solidarity Fund set up to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Ramaphosa has also informed the minister to direct the ANC to repay the costs of the flight to Harare and report to him once that has been completed.
