Forty seven billion RANDS to be used for Military!

The story is about how disappointed minister Lindiwe Sisulu is that the news about the new airbus military transport aircraft has already been spilled to the media, while she was still privately planning to brief President Jacob Zuma. The news is a delicate subject in South Africa because the money that is supposedly going to be used for the deal might be used to solve other problems in South Africa. An estimated R 47-billion is going to be spent for the new military aircrafts.

This news proves one of South Africa’s flaws in spending its money and serving its people. The money that is being talked about is not R 47-million but R 47-billion! In the midst of poverty, housing problems, poor education and the financial crisis, South Africa is using its money for new military aircraft. Is this more important than the education, housing and poverty alleviation of the country? It would at least make some sense if we were in a war with Iraq but we are not in a war. Just as one of the citizens in the accompanying video said, the last war we fought was World War II and it is not necessary for this military funding.

The action of putting all the money in the army in the middle of a financial crisis is shocking. I am also surprised that Lindiwe Sisulu was expecting such big news to be private in a democratic country, which has to promote transparency of information.