South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane chartered a £20,000 private flight after rowing with officials in Norway at Gardermoen International Airport.
The cause of the row?
Officials wanted to x-ray her handbag, but Nkoana-Mashabane objected, argued, and claimed that she had diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention.
Under the EU legislation which Norway is actually signed up to, only royalty and heads of state are exempted from security checks.
One might wonder if it was a principled stand or whether she had something to hide, but that's a matter for personal speculation.
Instead of submitting to having her bag x-rayed, she returned to the Hotel Grand in Oslo and arranged for a private plane to take her on to Bulgaria.
By doing so she avoided the need for her bag to be x-rayed, instead departing from the VIP terminal.
The cost to South African taxpayers was £20,100.
Later, an official from Nkoana-Mashabane's department commented on Twitter that "Africans (should not) stop demanding equal treatment and the enforcement of international laws and principles" according to the Telegraph.
Of course, the race card again, who can honestly say that they are shocked?
One thing worth noting is that, despite South Africa's apparently impoverished status which means they receive foreign aid from the UK taxpayer amounting to £19 million a year until 2015 (they received £40.6 million in 2008/09), there seems to be plenty of money for private planes for officials so that they can avoid security checks at airports.
Make of that what you will.
South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane chartered a £20,000 private flight after rowing with officials in Norway at Gardermoen International Airport.
