Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has chastised the African National Congress (ANC) government’s expenditure on luxury cars and petrol for its ministers, which it said amounted to more than R20 million in public funds in the last three years.
In a statement, the DA said that through a series of parliamentary questions on Monday, it had discovered that since 2019, Cabinet spent at least R20 million in public funds on buying fuel and brand new luxury vehicles for ministers and deputy ministers.
“Since 2019, taxpayers bought 24 new vehicles for ministers and deputy ministers, at a total cost of almost R19 million,” said the DA.
Another R1 million was spent on buying fuel and maintenance for the luxury vehicles, it added.
The party also revealed that out of the 24 new vehicles, 11 of them exceeded the R700 000 spending limit imposed by the November 2019 version of the Ministerial Handbook.
“In eleven different cases, the amount of taxpayer money spent on luxury vehicles by Ministers and Deputy Ministers exceeded the statutory limit of R700 000 imposed by the Ministerial Handbook. Although the Handbook allows the Finance Minister to increase this limit, it would have been in place at least until November 2020 – and possibly longer,” the DA said.
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Fikile Mbalula, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Pravin Gordhan, Tito Mboweni, Maite Nkoane-Mashabe, Joe Phaahla, Mmaloko Kubayi-Ngubane, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni were amongst those who received flashy cars during the period, said the DA.
One of the most expensive purchases, according to Times Live, was that of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’s (COGTA) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s new ride – Volvo XC60 which cost R806 700 at the time.
Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesperson, Mlungisi Mtshali, however, said the department made an application to the Treasury for permission to purchase Dlamini-Zuma’s vehicle.
“We did submit a request to the minister of Treasury at that time and the approval was granted,” Mtshali said, as quoted by the report.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
