The public protector has cleared the presidency and the department of defence of allegations of financial mismanagement and improper conduct relating to catering expenses on the presidential aircraft, Inkwazi.
The complaint, lodged by DA leader John Steenhuisen, alleged that catering costs for a 2022 flight from London to South Africa amounted to R600,000 for fewer than 18 guests and that catering for a cancelled flight to Turkey in 2023 cost taxpayers R91,000. Allegations also included the purchase of luxury items such as expensive liquor, chocolates and biltong for VIPs.
According to the public protector, evidence showed that catering costs for the London flight totalled R139,319, significantly less than alleged.
The procurement process adhered to the presidential handbook and the South African Air Force guidelines and no alcohol or luxury items were included in the catering orders, the public protector found.
It found that while the situation had resulted in additional costs due to the cancellation, the evidence suggested that reasonable care was exercised and mitigation steps were taken, such as some of the catering being used on two aircraft returning to Pretoria and non-perishable items being stored for future use to avoid complete wastage.
“The cancellation of the Turkey flight resulted in a payment of R82,037 for catering services, which was in line with the supplier’s cancellation policy,” it found.
The public protector concluded that the presidency and the department acted within legal and policy frameworks and their conduct did not amount to maladministration or improper behaviour.
This was one of the reports released on Wednesday, as the public protector finalised 768 investigations during the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, ending December 31 2025. These included 638 service delivery complaints, 107 good governance and integrity matters and 23 early resolution cases.
In another report, the public protector found the appointment of Santu Samuel Ngwevu as municipal manager of the Ubuntu Local Municipality in the Northern Cape was irregular and constituted maladministration and improper conduct.
According to the report, the council also violated regulations by making the appointment effective immediately, rather than following the required timeline.
The public protector found that Ngwevu was appointed despite being over the statutory retirement age of 65 and without compliance with the prescribed recruitment process.
The conduct of the municipal council amounted to maladministration and improper conduct, it said.
The public protector directed the premier of the Northern Cape and the MEC for co-operative governance, human settlements, traditional affairs and transport, safety and liaison to submit implementation plans detailing remedial action.
These plans must include, among other measures, recommended training for councillors to prevent a recurrence of similar irregularities.
The municipal manager was also instructed to develop a proposal for councillor training aimed at addressing governance failures and avoiding future instances of improper conduct and maladministration.
The public protector also uncovered multiple instances of maladministration in the Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and transport relating to the abuse of official vehicles and petrol cards in the Nkangala region’s Thembisile Hani Costs Centre.
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