ANC to reimburse state for Zimbabwe trip

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress will reimburse the government for a trip that members of the party took on an air force jet to Zimbabwe last week.

ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule led the 10-member delegation to Zimbabwe to discuss what could be done to resolve that country’s economic and political crisis. The opposition Democratic Alliance said the use of the military plane constituted an abuse of taxpayer funds.

“We traveled in an unusual manner and profusely humble ourselves where we went wrong,” Magashule said in a statement on Tuesday. The officials will reimburse the government “for the costs incurred on behalf of our delegation,” he said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday ordered a report about the flight. The delegation traveled with Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who had permission to travel to Zimbabwe for talks with her counterpart.

Magashule also said the members of the ANC have been placed under quarantine, in line with South African lockdown regulations. The Johannesburg-based Sunday Times reported that some of the party officials failed to self-isolate themselves when they returned from the trip.