Abigail Visagie

Deputy President Paul Mashatile traveled to Japan in March 2025 to strengthen the work-affiliated ties between the two countries but his overall expenditure on these international trips is what is making the headlines.

The deputy president was questioned by a member of parliament of ActionSA, Lerato Ngobeni who requested a complete breakdown of the deputy president’s traveling expenses from the time he stepped into office in July 2024. The deputy president disclosed that he spent R2.3 million of hard-earned taxpayer’s money in Japan which is additional to the R5 million he further spent in Ireland and the United Kingdom, including a R2 million tab that was left at a London hotel- all coming from the ordinary taxpayer’s pocket.

 These expenses included flights for not only himself but also his wife, accommodation, ground transport, restaurant services, and laundry costs. To date, Mashatile had four international trips that amounted to approximately R7.7 million. Mashatile confirmed that these four trips were for working visits to Ireland and the United Kingdom in September and October 2024 and to represent President Cyril Ramaphosa at the inauguration of Botswana’s President Duma Boko in November 2024.
Attending an extraordinary SADC Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, also in November 2024, and a recent working visit to Japan in March 2025.

An article by the George Herald elaborated that the deputy president’s Ireland and UK working visits cost the country R5 475 829.03, while the Botswana inauguration cost R52 867.58 and the Zimbabwe SADC Summit cost R56 166.20.

Mashatile’s recent trip in March 2025 to Japan alone cost R2 319 138.19, bringing the total expenditure for all four trips to approximately R7 903 901. Although a detailed response was provided, Mashatile’s response in parliament mainly focused on his Japan trip from 16-19 March 2025.