Mashatile, Ministers Under Fire for R200 Million Travel Bill, Including R900,000 Japan Stay

Mashatile, Ministers under fire for R200 million travel bill, including R900,000 Japan stay

South Africa’s Deputy President Spent R346,000 Per Night in London

CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile spent R346,000 per night on accommodation during a London trip, sparking widespread criticism as the country grapples with economic hardship. Parliamentary documents show Mashatile’s four international trips since assuming office on 3 July 2024 cost taxpayers R7.9 million. The revelation came after ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni requested a breakdown of all official travel expenses. The Lond…

R200m in flights, hotels and perks: GNU ministers' costly year

Ministers in South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) have spent over R200 million on travel expenses since July last year, according to ActionSA’s GNU performance tracker. Deputy President Paul Mashatile and his staff alone spent more than R2 million on travel, including trips to Ireland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Japan. According to  The Citizen, the deputy president was accompanied by a high-level delegation including multiple minister…

Taxpayers foot R1 million bill for Paul Mashatile’s hotel stay in Japan

Deputy President Paul Mashatile faces criticism after revelations showed he spent nearly R1 million in public funds on luxury hotel accommodation during a five-day diplomatic visit to Japan in March 2025. A recent parliamentary Q&A revealed that Mashatile and his wife, Humile Mashatile, incurred R956 057 in hotel costs alone, part of a broader R2.3 million bill for the Tokyo trip, which aimed to boost trade and cultural relations between South A…