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South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile is under scrutiny after it was revealed that he spent over R2 million on a six-night stay in London, charging taxpayers a staggering R346,000 per night for accommodation.

The details emerged from a written reply to parliamentary questions by MP Lerato Ngobeni, who requested a full breakdown of Mashatile’s official trips and associated costs since his assumption of office on 3 July 2024.

Ngobeni demanded transparency on each trip's purpose, destination, and expenses, covering flights, hotels, meals, and other extras. The Deputy President’s office responded with two reports, one submitted in February 2025 and another in May 2025.

Four International Trips Since July 2024

According to the records, Mashatile has gone on four official trips since becoming Deputy President:

1. Ireland & UK Working Visit (26 Sept – 4 Oct 2024)

2. Botswana Presidential Inauguration (8 Nov 2024)

3. SADC Summit in Zimbabwe (20 Nov 2024)

4. Japan Working Visit (16 – 19 March 2025)

📊 Cost Breakdown – Ireland, UK & Japan

The Ireland & UK trip alone cost R5.475 million, while the Japan trip cost R2.3 million in total. However, what raised eyebrows was the accommodation costs for Mashatile and his wife, Humile Mashatile:

To compare: even top-tier luxury suites at world-famous hotels like Aman Tokyo or London’s Claridge’s rarely exceed R150,000 per night.

Yet taxpayers were billed more than double that for Mashatile’s room and board, without any official explanation of the venue, services used, or reasons behind the excessive price tag.

No Clarity on Why the Costs Were So High

While the figures are public, the Deputy President’s office gave no clarity on why the accommodations were so expensive, where the couple stayed, or whether more affordable options were considered.

This silence has added fuel to public frustration over government spending, especially at a time when South Africa is facing economic strain, load shedding, and rising public debt.

What’s Next?

With increasing calls for transparency and accountability, civil society and opposition parties may push for a deeper audit into VIP travel expenses. The figures raise questions about whether government leaders are truly committed to fiscal responsibility.

Final Thought

As South Africans struggle with high living costs, revelations like these put further pressure on public trust in leadership. If Mashatile’s team doesn’t clarify, the court of public opinion will keep asking: Who exactly are our leaders serving?