@PresidencyZA
Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said he would be asking tough questions in Parliament about what he said was President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failed PR stunt to Ukraine and Russia.
He issued a hard-hitting statement on Saturday as President Cyril Ramaphosa and other African leaders arrived in St Petersburg to continue their African Peace Mission.
On Friday, Ramaphosa and the delegation which include Heads of State and Heads of Government from six African countries met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to a statement from the Presidency, there were “constructive discussions” with the Ukraine President, with the delegation reportedly telling President Zelenksy that they not only recognise their viewpoint, but respect how they feel about that ongoing war.”
The African leaders were due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday to discuss the war and make a call for peace.
According to SANews.gov.za, Ramaphosa said that African leaders told the Ukraine President that they not only recognize their viewpoint, but respect how they feel about that ongoing war.
“We also said there is a need to bring this conflict to an end sooner than later,” he said,
Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa’s visit was not without early controversy when his security detail and a plane full of journalists was delayed in Poland while he had arrived in Kyiv.
The Polish government said this had resulted from a “failure to comply with standard entry procedures required by the Polish side,” saying that the South African plane was carrying dangerous goods for which no permission was granted.
EWN reported that the security detail was cleared to leave Warsaw Airport after 21-hours.
Steenhuisen said he would be submitting a series of “urgent Parliamentary questions to determine the full cost to the people of South Africa of this shambolic political stunt.”
He said over the past two days the President disgraced South Africa on the global stage, accusing the Presidency of lying about being unaware of missile strike on the Ukraine capital, Kyiv.
The opposition leader also said the “administration’s sheer incompetence caused a planeload full of his bodyguards, journalists and apparently unauthorised weapons to be denied entry to both Poland and Ukraine.”
“Cyril Ramaphosa must be held accountable for the millions of Rands in taxpayer funds wasted on his failed PR stunt,” Steenhuisen said.
“We will be submitting a full set of questions to the Presidency to obtain a detailed breakdown of the security detail accompanying President Ramaphosa on this trip, as well as the total cost to the South Africa taxpayer,” he added.
Steenhuisen said he also wants to know from the Police Minister, Bheki Cele, to determine what ammunition and other materials were sourced and loaded onto the aircraft, as well as the cost of all materials.
He also wants the Auditor General to declare the cost of the trip as fruitless and wasteful expenditure saying no due diligence was carried out on the part of the South African state.
