City Press has reported that Secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana forked out R44,320 for a chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz while on an overseas trip.<\/p>\n
The paper reported that Mgidlana went on a \u201cstudy visit\u201d to Budapest, Hungary in July, where he hired a Mercedes-Benz E-Class at R8,660 per day for five days, at the tax payers expense.<\/p>\n
City Press previously reported that Mgidlana and senior parliamentary staff spent almost R2 million in \u201cbenchmarking\u201d trips, flying business class and staying in five-star hotels in the UK and Turkey.<\/p>\n
On that occasion, Mgidlana spent R42,150 for three nights at the Conrad London St James Hotel, in London.<\/p>\n
Parliament documents also revealed how Mgidlana spent five nights in a suite at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton at a cost of R31,653, while also being chauffer-driven around Johannesburg in a Mercedes-Benz.<\/p>\n
On another occasion, Mgidlana occupied a condo at the hotel for six nights at a total cost of R52,638 which included a food bill of R3,215 and R730 spent on beverages.<\/p>\n
According to a parliamentary document seen by City Press, Mgidlana was in Johannesburg for a security cluster meeting.<\/p>\n
Parliament said that his trips were undertaken as \u201cstrategic imperatives\u201d to help reposition Parliament to \u201claunch itself on to a new development trajectory for the second generation\u201d.<\/p>\n
Read the full report in the 18 December edition of the City Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n