Deputy President Paul Mashatile is under fire following revelations that nearly R1 million in public funds was spent on luxury hotel accommodation during a five-day diplomatic visit to Japan in March 2025.
According to details disclosed in a recent parliamentary Q&A, Mashatile and his wife, Humile Mashatile, racked up R956 057 in hotel expenses alone – part of a total R2.3 million bill for the Tokyo trip, which was billed as a high-level engagement to strengthen trade and cultural ties between South Africa and Japan.
Sparked outrage
The cost of accommodation has sparked particular outrage.
Based on a four-night stay, the expenses average out to roughly R239 000 per night – far more than the rates charged by even Japan’s most opulent hotels.
Parliamentary records did not name the hotel used by the delegation, and this lack of transparency has only fueled criticism from opposition MPs and civil society groups, who say the spending is excessive and unjustifiable, especially during a time of economic hardship for many South Africans.
“This kind of wasteful expenditure is unacceptable,” said DA MP Lerato Ngobeni, who posed the original parliamentary question.
“Taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet, while senior officials are living in five-star luxury.”
The March visit came just months after Paul Mashatile was sworn in as deputy president on 3 July 2024.
Since then, he has undertaken several international trips, including stops in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Japan – trips that have collectively drawn scrutiny over rising travel costs.
Defended the trip
Mashatile did not travel alone.
He was accompanied by a delegation that included ministers and deputy ministers from several portfolios, such as Sport, Agriculture, Higher Education, and International Relations.
The government has defended the trip, arguing it held strategic value for bilateral cooperation in trade, education, and science.
Yet critics remain unconvinced.
Transparency watchdogs and public finance monitors have demanded an audit of the Japan trip and called for stricter guidelines on government travel, citing the lack of itemised breakdowns and vague justifications.
“This isn’t just about one trip,” said Sipho Mbele, an analyst with the Public Accountability Forum.
“It’s about a pattern of abuse where government elites operate under a different set of rules than ordinary citizens. There’s very little transparency or restraint.”
As pressure mounts, at the time of publishing, Paul Mashatile’s office has remained silent on the matter.
Are you ever surprised when details emerge of government officials’ international trips?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
