Court rules that presidential handbook be made public – AfriForum

After an ongoing legal battle between AfriForum and the Presidency, the High Court in Pretoria today ruled that the controversial presidential handbook be made public and be provided to AfriForum before or on 30 November 2015.The document contains the rules for the use of public funds to pay the President or Deputy President’s any entertainment, accommodation and travel expenses. AfriForum has also succeeded in a costs order, which includes the costs of two advocates.

AfriForum brought the court application in the public’s interest to establish the rules that apply to private holiday expenses for members of the Presidency.

The legal battle has been fought since December 2012, when Kgalema Motlanthe, then Deputy President, enjoyed a R2 million holiday on the Seychelles islands, for which tax payers had to foot the bill. This happened shortly after Motlanthe lost to Pres. Jacob Zuma in the ANC leadership elections. During the same time, Zuma also went on holiday to the Bazaruto island off the Mozambican coast, costing the taxpayers in the region of R1,6 million.

After the spokesperson for the Deputy President explained that the presidential handbook did allow such expensive holidays on government cost for members of the Presidency, AfriForum applied for a copy of the handbook in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act.  The Presidency refused the request.   

“It is encouraging that this case now compels the completion of the presidential handbook. The handbook has been in design stage since 2007, and its completion has since dragged on,” said Werner Human, AfriForum’s legal representative associated with the firm Hurter Spies Incorporated. 

“The public has an interest in knowing how taxpayers’ money is used, especially by the top level of government and especially where expenses are incurred for private purposes and funded by government,” Human added.

It was also revealed that Cabinet has accepted a policy that is to apply while the presidential handbook is still in conceptual form. AfriForum will continue the fight and will once again request the Presidency to provide a copy of the policy in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. AfriForum is willing to fight till the end. 

Should the presidency not provide the presidential handbook to AfriForum by 30 November 2015, AfriForum will have grounds to submit an application for contempt. 

Issued by Werner Human, AfriForum Legal Representative, 30 October 2015