Question NW1021 to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

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09 June 2016 - NW1021

Profile picture: Marais, Mr S

Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

(1)Why a luxury Mercedes Benz vehicle (details furnished) registered in her Ministry’s name at the Youngsfield Army Base is used daily to transport a certain person (details furnished) to the University of Cape Town campus and back; (2) whether she can confirm that the specified army officer (details furnished) who has the use of the vehicle also resides at the specified address in Cape Town; if not, (a) is it just the specified Major’s daughter who occupies the property and (b) what are the further relevant details; if so, (i) how long has the specified army officer been resident at the specified address and (ii) who else lives with the specified army officer at the specified address; (3) whether there are any policies in place that allow children of officers to be transported to universities in luxury vehicles registered in her Ministry’s name at the expense of her department; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, from which budget(s) are personal trips like these funded; (4) are such personal trips ever (a) declared to the SA Revenue Services and (b) reported to the human resources department of her department?

Reply:

1.And (2) The Youngsfield Army Base was making use of any type of vehicle to assist the daughter of C SANDF when necessary, and did not specifically allocate a Mercedes Benz for this purpose. This only happened previously when the daughter was unable to get alternative transport. The daughter is now using her own vehicle as this was a temporary arrangement.

  (a) The specified army officer driving such luxury vehicle does not occupy any property at the army base.

3. The transportation was not on daily basis and no budget was allocated.

4. Not applicable

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