Police Minister Fikile Mbalula’s trip to Dubai – with his family – while still Minister of Sports and Recreation was a private family trip and was not sponsored, his office said on Tuesday.
The Ministry was responding to an Eyewitness News report alleging that Minister Mbalula received a travel sponsorship of a total of R680 000 from a company that has a business relationship with sports administrator SASCOC and that could be a potential conflict of interest.
The Ministry said in a statement that the Minister did not receive a sponsorship for the said private family trip and that there were no gratuities or gifts received for the trip.
“The Minister’s family was and is responsible for the trip from the family financial resources, details of which are completely confidential and protected in accordance with Members Code of Ethics.”
In so far as Members Ethics are concerned, the Ministry said Minister Mbalula has and had no direct conflict of interest arising from the trip as alleged by EWN.
“The Minister regards the allegations as an orchestrated plan to impugn his integrity and deliberately cause him and his family harm in this regard. The Minister and his family’s rights remain reserved.”
It added that Minister Mbalula has periodically adhered to the Declarations of Members Interests. This includes this period under review ending end of September 2017.
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