[imagesource:wikipedia]

The catering costs for Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential jet, Inkwazi, is as lavish as can be.

During their flight from London back to South Africa last year after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the VIPs were provided a feast that cost nearly R24,000 per head.

That put the total catering cost for the flight up to a whopping R569,000, according to documents with City Press’ sister publication Rapport.

The presidential jet Inkwazi is managed by the SA Airforce and can carry a maximum of 18 passengers and six crew members, but it is said that the crew eat their own, cheaper meals so that the cost per head for the VIPs could be even higher.

In June this year, another example of exorbitant catering on board Inkwazi occurred when the aeroplane, heading to Turkey, was stocked with food only for the flight to be cancelled at the last minute. This cost almost R91 000 for catering alone.

The continued manipulation of Inkwazi catering costs has left the SA Airforce in dire straits. The Air Force, which is responsible for all the operational expenses of VIP aircraft and even chartered flights, is already in such financial straits that 85% of its aircraft are unserviceable due to financial shortages.

This ‘catering scandal’ has left the SA Air Forces catering budget at a measly R45,000 for the rest of the financial year. To make it more ludicrous, nonperishable food and drink supplies are hardly ever returned to be used again on later flights. These include expensive liquor onboard and luxury food and snacks.

The publication reports that four boxes of Lindt and Ferrero Rocher chocolates are purchased at a cost of about R300 per box for each flight, regardless of its duration.

A former pilot remarked that abuse of resources on VIP flights was nothing new, detailing how one passenger’s luggage had been stuffed with the plane’s biltong and other foods, including a whole chocolate cake.

In addition, gourmet three-course meals are served with enough food and drinks purchased for 18 passengers, although most of the flights end up carrying far fewer people.

Ramaphosa gets his cake and he eats it:

At the stroke of midnight the SAAF air crew of Inkwazi kicked off another round of celebrations#HappyBirthdayPresident #Ramaphosa70 pic.twitter.com/QIHzja0gtU

— Vincent Magwenya 🇿🇦 (@SpokespersonRSA) November 17, 2022

The standard arrangement that nonperishable foods be returned to subsequent flights is ignored, with knowledge of an instruction given recently for a range of very expensive alcohol to be purchased for flights.

Generally, Inkwazi is an operational military aircraft and alcohol is therefore not permitted on board. But then two weeks ago, the instruction was given to stock expensive alcohol on board “because the passengers insist on it”. Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Cyril Ramaphosa, says it was not an instruction given by Ramaphosa.

Domestic flights are not spared lavish spending either. Even for extremely short flights, such as express flights between Pretoria and Polokwane – when there is only a 10-minute window suitable for serving hot meals – a full pantry of food is ordered.

Everyone is begging the questions: Where do the meals and snacks end up – and why has the Air Force’s higher authority not yet questioned the lavish catering costs?

[source:citypress]