Question NW2037 to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
08 January 2025 - NW2037
Hattingh, Mr C to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1) With reference to her trip to attend the Beijing Xiangshan Forum held in Beijing, China from 11 to 16 September 2024, and noting the provisions of section 5 and section 12.2.2.5 of the National Travel Guidelines of the National Treasury and the austerity measures faced by her department, (a) what are the reasons for each of the delegation members who are not employed at the level of Deputy Director-General to travel in business class and (b) who authorised the travelling of the whole delegation in business class; (2) what are the cost implications for not adhering to the National Travel Guidelines?
Reply:
1. The Department of Defence has since 2018 been utilizing the National Treasury Cost Containment Deviation for the DoD under file reference 72/1/316. No new specific directives and deviations were issued to rescind or amend it accordingly. It is attached for ease of reference.
2. The financial implications were spelt out in the earlier response to the parliamentary question asked by the honourable member.