The Eastern Cape government has defended premier Oscar Mabuyane’s working visit to Greece and Italy, saying the trip formed part of a long-term strategy to attract investment, expand trade and create jobs in the province.
This comes after the DA in the province demanded a full accountability report on Mabuyane’s latest overseas investment mission, saying residents deserved proof that previous trips had delivered jobs and growth.
DA MPL Vicky Knoetze accused the premier of embarking on another international trip while residents were still waiting for proof that previous missions “have delivered jobs, investment and growth”.
Knoetze said the party would oppose any future publicly funded overseas missions until Mabuyane’s office tabled full close-out reports for every trip over the past three financial years.
The reports had to detail all costs, delegation lists, signed agreements, verified investment secured, projects implemented and jobs created.
The party also said Mabuyane’s repeated claims of more than R127bn in co-ordinated investment declarations for the province must be proven.
Knoetze said investment pledges did not put food on the table and that small businesses and young people could not build futures on promises that were “repeated year in and year out but never properly tracked”.
The previous seven international trips headed by Mabuyane and his delegation, which has included the mayors of the province’s two metros, special advisers, senior administration officials and a departmental photographer, have cost taxpayers R12.7m.
Since 2023, delegations led by Mabuyane have visited the UAE, Tunisia, Egypt, Germany, China, Qatar and Japan.
This was revealed during a parliamentary response session provided by the premier’s office.
Records reveal that Mabuyane’s varied teams travelled to Abu Dhabi from March 30 to April 3 2023, then to Tunisia from September 9 to 15 2023 and Egypt from September 16 to 20 2023.
A trip to Germany then followed from November 4 to 10 2023, while later trips included China from August 24 to 31 2024, Japan from December 7 to 12 2024 and Qatar from November 23 to 25 2025.
The province said the objectives ranged from lobbying for investment and exploring mutual co-operation, to positioning the Eastern Cape as a trade and tourism destination and building strategic relationships with foreign provinces and companies.
It said the trips were not ad hoc in most cases, but formed part of operational planning and were approved by the premier.
Mabuyane’s office, however, said one exception noted was the Qatar trip, which was described as an ad hoc visit linked to a green hydrogen project from an invitation from the minister of electricity and energy.
The trip to the UAE cost R137,735 which was mostly attributed to flight costs while the Tunisia and Egypt trip alone cost R1.8m from the office of the premier’s side, with additional spending by other provincial entities.
Germany’s travel bill for Mabuyane’s trips stood at R1.5m, while China’s visit incurred expenditure of R1.3m.
The province further stated these trips were funded by the office of the premier.
Knoetze, however, said the trips had limited public evidence of realised returns.
“The current trip to Italy and Greece has been justified as part of investment in the province’s oceans economy.
“The current mission has been framed as support for the province’s oceans economy.
“But in reply to DA parliamentary questions, Mabuyane reportedly confirmed that the promised multidisciplinary team to drive the oceans economy still has no disclosed mandate, membership, start date, budget or performance targets.
“The implementation plan is still being processed,” Knoetze said.
She said that the province had also failed to substantiate claims that the oceans economy could create one-million jobs by 2033.
Mabuyane’s spokesperson, Sonwabo Mbananga, said that while they acknowledged concerns about public spending, all official travel was subject to strict oversight.
“Premier Mabuyane appreciates that citizens expect accountability for every rand spent from the public purse.
“This expectation is legitimate and necessary,” Mbananga said.
He said the Eastern Cape could not afford to isolate itself from international markets at a time when countries and regions were competing aggressively for investment.
“At the same time, the Eastern Cape cannot afford to be absent from the global conversations that shape investment flows, trade partnerships, tourism opportunities, technology transfer and industrial development.
“Investment attraction is not an event. It is a continuous process of relationship-building, market positioning, investor engagement and strategic co-operation,” he said.
Mbananga said the province’s visit to Greece and Italy was intended to boost maritime partnerships, expanded export markets, tourism collaboration, renewable energy co-operation, skills development and new opportunities within the oceans economy.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.