No freebies for the Mbekis

In contrast to the British leader Tony Blair and South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, President Thabo Mbeki is apparently not taking any freebies and is taking his holidays according to the rule book.

Mukoni Ratshitanga, Mbeki's spokesperson, said that the president had taken no one except his wife and "essential security personnel" on his recent vacation to Tanzania's Serengeti plains.

Ratshitanga was responding to information received from Kenya by The Sunday Independent that Mbeki had spent a number of days last week at the Sasakwa Hill Lodge on the Grumeti Reserve in the Serengeti.

According to the information, the president had been accompanied by a "large party of perhaps close to 20 people" during his stay.

Ratshitanga said on Saturday: "The president told me clearly that this was absolutely incorrect. He took only his wife and necessary security people. He did not even take some of the other support personnel that he is entitled to take."

Ratshitanga would not confirm the president's venue or the precise dates of his holiday. Since the party consisted solely of the president and Zanele Mbeki, the first lady, Ratshitanga also declined to discuss the cost of the president's vacation or who footed the bill.

Mark Witney, the general manager of the South African Singita group that owns Sasakwa Hill Lodge, said that the present rate at the lodge was $800 (about R5 600) per night per person sharing.

Witney would not confirm or deny that Mbeki had stayed at Sasakwa.

This week in England, a furore broke out over Blair having borrowed a luxury home from Robin Gibb, the Bee Gees star, for a family holiday. When he returns, Blair faces the prospect of a parliamentary inquiry.

Downing Street was adamant that accommodation in the £5,2-million, 10-bedroom mansion had been paid for in "a private commercial arrangement".

Gibb's wife, Dwina, was reported to have said the couple had neither asked for, nor accepted, money.

John Campbell, the singer's co-manager, added: "It's a private holiday and it's a private arrangement. They are friends."

But sources insisted that Campbell had originally accepted payment from Blair, but that the Gibb family had chosen to donate the cash to a charity. What remained unclear was whether this payment was a token or the full going rate.

Earlier this month, Mosiuoa Lekota, the defence minister, set up an inquiry to investigate the R4,55 million spent on a charter flight for Mlambo-Ngcuka to Britain.

Also earlier this month, the Democratic Alliance raised concerns about the deputy president's official visits to Portugal and Ireland, allegedly in a private jet |co-owned by Pick 'n Pay chairman Raymond Ackerman and businessman Aaron Searll.

In December 2005 Mlambo-Ngcuka's holiday in Dubai cost taxpayers R604 883, excluding VIP protection. Mlambo-Ngcuka was later cleared by Shauket Fakie, the auditor-general, and Lawrence Mushwana, the public protector.

But Mushwana's report did reveal that Mlambo-Ngcuka had also enjoyed a state-sponsored three-day London holiday ahead of the Dubai trip. This had cost taxpayers R63 160, excluding VIP protection costs.

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