The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) demands answers and accountability for the Limpopo Legislature’s squandering of R1,8 million on three flights and accommodation for a provincial delegation to a sitting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Banjul, The Gambia.
In the Freedom Front Plus’s view, the expenditure stems from the inflated ego of the Legislature’s Secretary, Timothy Maake, who allegedly insisted that his title be indicated as “Dr” on flight tickets.
According to an article in City Press, Maake demanded that his academic title “Dr”, rather than “Mr”, be used on airline tickets. This led to unnecessary expenditure on non-refundable Qatar Airways flights and accommodation in four different cities.
The first two flight bookings had to be cancelled because Qatar Airways does not permit the use of academic titles such as “Dr” on tickets, partly to avoid confusion with medical doctors during emergencies.
The third booking, costing R800 000, entailed an exhausting 39-hour journey via Doha, with an overnight stay in Casablanca, where the delegation was forced to sleep at the airport due to last-minute visa issues.
The money spent on accommodation in Casablanca was, therefore, also lost.
The Freedom Front Plus insists that Maake should immediately be called to account for this squandering of taxpayers’ money, and that a full report be submitted to the Legislature.
Maake should also be held personally liable for the R1,8 million seeing as his arrogance was the reason for the needless expenditure.
Taxpayers should not have to shell out to cover officials’ unreasonable demands, especially in a province where basic service delivery exists only on paper.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep pressuring for accountability and ensuring that public funds are used to benefit the people of the province.
