This week, the Democratic Alliance (DA) revealed that South African Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, attended the Rugby World Cup in France with undisclosed funding from an unnamed private company. Adding to the controversy, it was disclosed that South African taxpayers footed the bill for his assistant to join him in Paris, amounting to R446,339.43.

The DA contends that this trip had no bearing on the Minister's official duties, and using public funds for his assistant's Paris trip is a blatant violation of the Executive Members' Ethics Act 82 of 1998 and the Executive Ethics Code.

The DA has submitted a PAIA request and officially filed a complaint with the Public Protector to probe these issues, generate a comprehensive report, and recommend corrective actions. The complaint asserts that the Minister breached provisions in the Executive Ethics Code, including obligations to act in good faith, uphold governance interests, and execute duties diligently and honestly.

The Code explicitly prohibits Cabinet members from leveraging their position for personal gain or exposing themselves to conflicts between official responsibilities and private interests. Emphasizing the misuse of state funds, particularly when the South African Police Service is already underfunded, the DA anticipates the Public Protector's report early next year with appropriate recommendations.