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Premier Supra Mahumapelo’s new luxury private jet is a slap in the face to the 37,000 North West residents who could be employed in its place.

The North West government could create 37,000 jobs, for a full year’s employment in government’s Expanded Public Works Program, at the purchase cost of a mid-size luxury private jet.

Alternatively, the North West could build almost 8,000 RDP houses with the exorbitant cost of a luxury private jet.

In addition, with a luxury private jet’s annual running and maintenance costs of approximately R5,6 million, a further 308 annual jobs could be created instead of upkeeping Supra’s luxury jet every single year.

Today in the North West Legislature, after I tabled a members statement calling on Supra to reject this ridiculous luxury jet, Premier Mahumapelo defended his jet procurement, and in doing so he showed that he does not care about the hundreds of thousands of unemployed people in the North West.

In the province with the highest unemployment in South Africa, at a shocking 44,6% Supra must choose to create jobs, not to buy jets. The DA will continue to push Premier Mahumapelo to make the right decision to put the people of the North West first and not put ANC political elites first.

Issued by DA