DA defends Macpherson's R350k Brazil trip

The DA has downplayed the R350,000 working trip that Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson recently took to Brazil with his partner. 

The DA said the trip complied with the travel policies it has set out for its own members. 

Macpherson has come under fire since the city press revealed the details of his trip, with some political parties accusing him of wasting taxpayers' money. 

Prior to joining the Government of National Unity (GNU), as an opposition party, the DA was strongly against ministers “wasting” taxpayers' money by taking their partners to international working trips. 

This was despite the fact that the ministerial handbook does make provision for Cabinet members to bring their spouses or partners on working visits.

With the revelation that the DA member and Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson took his partner on a R350 000 trip to Brazil on the taxpayers' dime, some political parties have labelled the DA as hypocritical.

However, DA's federal council chairperson, Helen Zille, disagreed.

“I do not know exactly what the ministerial handbook says. The ministerial handbook governs all of these trips, and the DA  also has a travel policy, and Dean Macpherson applied under the DA's policy to travel.”

Zille said the matter is being discussed internally within the party. 

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