Parliament puts brakes on free air tickets for former ministers and MPs

Parliament has changed policy to reduce the number of taxpayer-sponsored flights for former ministers, deputy ministers and MPs from 48 to 12 a year.

In terms of the new policy, former MPs will also no longer enjoy the post-retirement benefits of flying around the country free of charge for life as this has been capped to a maximum of five years.

Parliament’s revised travel policy for former MPs was approved last week by National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces chair Amos Masondo. 

Previously, former MPs and ministers, as well as their spouses, could fly around the country on free flights, including in business class.

The benefit was also enjoyed by former apartheid-era ministers as part of their post-retirement benefits.

A DA MP has hailed the move as the “clipping of wings” of high-flying politicians.

The latest policy shift comes after the Sunday Times detailed in November 2020 how parliament splurged more than R45m on flying former ministers and MPs around the country from 2014 to 2020.

At the time, parliament indicated it had embarked on a process to amend its policy on post-retirement travel benefits for former MPs.

Almost two years later, the new policy, that came into effect on April 1, states that MPs who have served a full five-year term or longer will be “entitled to 12 single air tickets a year”.

The revised travel policy also puts the brakes on business class flights as it states “tickets are issued for economy class and domestic travel only”.

The policy introduced “benefit end dates”, which means former MPs enjoying free flights courtesy of the taxpayer will cease doing so. Until last week, the benefit had been guaranteed for life.

“The benefit end dates for members already receiving travel benefits shall be the earlier of the current benefit end date and March 31 2027. The provisions set out shall be effective from April 1 2022.”

Leon Schreiber, DA MP on parliament’s public service and administration portfolio committee, lauded the move.

“This is a historic victory as it signals the first time in our democratic history that the ANC has been forced to make meaningful cuts to the lavish lifestyles of former cabinet cadres,” he said.

According to his projections, the public purse will save at least R39m a year by cutting former MPs’ flights from 48 to 12.

“In total, the DA’s success in clipping the wings of the ANC retirement gravy plane can save SA taxpayers up to R39m a year, or R195m over a five-year period,” he said.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

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