ANC's Zim trip troubles: Mkhwebane's probe to go on despite ANC refunding govt

• The Public Protector's investigation will continue, despite the ANC's decision to reimburse the government for a flight to Zimbabwe.
• Lobby group AfriForum is of the view that the ANC's decision is an admission of "misappropriation of national assets".
• An ANC delegation accompanied the minister of defence on a SANDF military jet to Zimbabwe.

The Office of the Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says the ANC's decision to reimburse the government for the flight to Zimbabwe does not affect the investigation into the political party's use of a SANDF military jet.

"The Public Protector must still find out what happened and what should have happened, whether there is a discrepancy between the two and, if so, how it should be remedied, so as to avert a possible recurrence," spokesperson Oupa Segalwe told News24 on Friday.

"In addition, to direct appropriate action to be taken in the event any person is found to have misconducted themselves," he added.

Segalwe said the matter is already being investigated.

READ | UPDATE | ANC to reimburse govt for party delegation's Zim trip on air force jet

This comes after an ANC delegation flew to Harare, Zimbabwe, on a military jet to meet with Zanu-PF, amid growing reports of an alleged human rights crisis in the neighbouring country.

Trip

The PP received two complaints about the trip from lobby group AfriForum and political party Freedom Front Plus, in which she was requested to investigate the matter.

The ANC is accused of abusing state resources by using the government sponsored jet to Zimbabwe.

ALSO READ: Mkhwebane mulls investigation into use of military jet for ANC trip to Zimbabwe

AfriForum, in a statement on Tuesday, regarded the ANC's announcement that it would pay for the use of the air force plane as an admission of misappropriation of national assets.

"AfriForum wants to know how the Minister of Defence can, in any way, justify that this flight on an air force plane was in the public's interest and we still expect answers as to whether the correct channels were followed," said head of AfriForum's anti-corruption unit Monique Taute.