Cost of Helen Zille’s trade mission to Asia was not excessive, her office says
The planning of the investment mission by the Western Cape premier was cost-effective and in line with public finance regulations, spokesperson Michael Mpofu says
The office of Western Cape premier Helen Zille‚ which came under fire for Zille’s recent trip to Asia‚ has brushed off criticism that the costs were excessive. On Monday, Zille’s office issued a statement rejecting what it called "all agenda-driven attempts to claim that the amount of R636‚000 was excessive to cover all travel". The trip included visits to Japan and Singapore. Zille’s spokesperson, Michael Mpofu, said the trip was "an important trade‚ tourism and investment mission". "This amounted to an average of R127‚000 per delegation member‚ three of whom were overseas for eight days and the other two persons for 16 days‚" said Mpofu. He added that the Western Cape government did not have the excessive funds that the national government had when going on mission trips abroad. "The planning of the tourism‚ trade and investment mission was both cost-effective and entirely in line with public finance regulations." "If costs cannot be incurred to undertake missions to these Asian m...
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