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Jacob Zuma

MEDIA reports alleging that South African President Jacob Zuma’s family members used a military helicopter for personal travel between Durban and Zuma’s Nkandla Village home are false, the Presidency and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said yesterday. According to the Sunday edition of the local City Press newspaper, the chopper allegedly used in conveying the President’s family members had in fact been grounded by the SANDF due to lack of funds to run it.

But the Presidency labelled this report as baseless and mischievous, while the SANDF said the report was full of “spurious allegations.”

“At no point has the South African Air Force helicopter been used to transport family members. Furthermore, at no point was such ever raised by any of the crew members of the Air Force with the Command of the Air Force,” SANDF said.

Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj explained that the tasking for Zuma’s travel is made by the Presidency and it is stipulated clearly that the aircraft or helicopter is being booked for his use.

He, however, said family members such as a spouse or a child may travel by helicopter if accompanying  the principal (the President), which was not the case here.

“At no stage has the Presidency ever made bookings for family members travelling alone. The South African Air Force has also informed the Presidency that no such misuse of the helicopters has ever occurred,” Maharaj said. — StarAfrica.