Government

South Africans treated an official and her teammates to a R6 million luxury trip – including R1.5 million spending money

Malcolm Libera

 ·13 Sep 2026

South African taxpayers paid R6 million for a luxury trip to Venezuela by Gauteng Provincial Legislature Speaker Morakane Mosupyoe and a small delegation, including R1.5 million in spending allowances.

The trip, which took place in November 2025, involved 13 people, including Mosupyoe, four members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and seven staff members.

According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), each member of the delegation received an allowance of R125,000 for being outside the country on legislative business.

The spending has prompted the DA to submit a motion of censure against Mosupyoe, accusing her of wasting public money on a trip that provided limited value to Gauteng residents.

Mosupyoe defended the trip and said it was intended to strengthen diplomatic relations between Gauteng and Venezuela and promote South Africa internationally.

“Through coordination with Gauteng Provincial Legislature, South Africa was recognised as the Guest of Honour country at the International Fair of Tourism FITVEN,” she said.

The Gauteng legislature exhibited on the main stall alongside Brand South Africa and displayed educational and promotional material during the International Tourism Fair of Venezuela.

“Our presence deepened diplomatic relations and soft-power international relations between Gauteng and its counterparts,” Mosupyoe said.

“It cemented the expressions of solidarity and mutual respect, with participation serving to enhance the dialogue and exchange that the FITVEN was designed to foster.”

However, Solly Msimanga, a Gauteng legislature member and leader of the opposition, questioned why such a large delegation was necessary and whether the trip was justified by its cost.

He said the tourism exhibition itself lasted only four days, while Brand South Africa was already present and representing the country.

“This means that there was no need for the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to be at the FITVEN as South Africa was already represented by BrandSA,” Msimanga said.

“The delegation attended the four-day tourism conference, but the rest of the trip cannot be explained.”

The table below gives a breakdown of the cost of the Venezuela trip.

R450 million in travel and accommodation costs in 18 months

Msimanga accused the Speaker of using the overseas trip to increase the allowances received by the delegation.

“This action by the Speaker was solely for personal interests, specifically to increase the stipend received for being out of the country on legislative business,” he said.

He described the trip to Venezuela as a waste of taxpayers’ money at a time when Gauteng faces significant service-delivery challenges.

“Wasting money on a trip when service delivery in the province is floundering indicates that the Speaker cares little about the well-being of Gauteng residents,” Msimanga said.

The DA said politicians and public officials should be held accountable when public funds are used for what it considers unnecessary travel and personal benefit.

“We disapprove of the wasteful expenditure of taxpayers’ money, particularly by politicians and officials hired to deliver services,” Msimanga said.

The controversy comes amid growing political scrutiny of government spending on overseas travel. 

Opposition parties have repeatedly criticised expensive international trips by ministers and officials, particularly while South Africa faces pressure on public finances and service delivery.

Opposition tracking of the Government of National Unity cabinet expenditure found that ministers accumulated almost R450 million in travel and accommodation costs over an 18-month period.

The Ministry of Human Settlements was identified as one of the biggest spenders, with travel and accommodation costs of R32.98 million.

ActionSA criticised the spending as “executive indulgence” and an “out-of-touch misuse of taxpayer funds”, particularly given South Africa’s housing shortage.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau also faced criticism after a three-night trip to New York cost taxpayers R2.12 million.

Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie incurred R4.8 million in international travel costs across 12 trips, including visits to Brazil, Russia, Singapore and Spain. This included almost R500,000 to take a receptionist to the Olympics and Paralympics.