The luxurious interior of the first-class Emirates plane. (Facebook/Lawrence Troon)
Luxurious light-brown leather seats, a built-in mini-fridge, white and gold lamps, and a private gold-encased cubicle are only some of the luxuries that Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Gary van Niekerk enjoyed on his first-class Emirates flight to China late last year.
News24 previously reported on Van Niekerk’s business trip to China, for which ratepayers forked out more than R400 000 for a one-way connecting flight from Johannesburg to Dubai.
However, on Thursday, videos and selfies of an obviously delighted and enthusiastic Van Niekerk in his luxurious surroundings emerged on social media, causing shock and outrage among residents who commented that ratepayers money should rather be spent on service delivery.
South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we’re about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.