Cabinet blew R20 million on fuel and new luxury vehicles for ‘ANC petrolheads’, says DA

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet has apparently blown more than R20 million in public funds on buying fuel and brand new luxury vehicles for ministers and deputy ministers over the past three years.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) revealed this on Monday saying it obtained the information through a series of parliamentary questions.

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DA MP and spokesperson on public service and administration, Leon Schreiber, said many of the new vehicles allegedly cost much more than the R700 000 spending limit nominally imposed by the November 2019 version of the Ministerial Handbook.

In terms of the handbook, each Cabinet minister and deputy minister is given a luxury vehicle to use in Pretoria and Cape Town, courtesy of the South African taxpayer. The cost of fuel, maintenance, tires and tolls for all of these vehicles is also paid by taxpayers.

Fuel and maintenance

According to the DA’s information, since 2019 Cabinet spent over R1 million on fuel and maintenance alone for the luxury official vehicles of ministers and deputy ministers.

The party said this was despite the fact that South Africa was in lockdown for much of the last three years, with mobility severely restricted.

“Since 2019, taxpayers bought 24 new vehicles for ministers and deputy ministers, at a total cost of almost R19 million. The average cost for the 24 vehicles purchased was R789 736 – well in excess of the limit supposedly established by the Ministerial Handbook.

“Ministers and former ministers, including Fikile Mbalula, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Pravin Gordhan, Tito Mboweni, Maite Nkoane-Mashabane, Joe Phaahla, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, all bought themselves flashy new wheels as poverty, hunger and hardship exploded all around them,” Schreiber said in a statement.

Audi S8 supercars

Schreiber said the most staggering case of all was in March 2019 when the Department of Human Settlements paid over R3 million for the purchase of two Audi S8 supercars for former minister Nomaindia Mfeketo and her deputy at the time, Zou Kota-Fredericks.

“The dashing duowere were however fired soon after, and the vehicles were likely mostly used by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and her Deputy, Pam Tshwete, to speed through traffic to the nearest luxury shopping outlet.

“Audi remains in pole position as the vehicle brand of choice for revved-up cadres, with eight luxury models ranging from the S8 to the A6 and Q5 purchased for ANC petrolheads.

“Next came Volvo, with three XC60s and two XC40s, followed by BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz closing out the home stretch.”

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Schreiber said in 11 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, Schreiber said it would have been in place at least until November 2020 – and possibly longer.

Since up to eleven vehicles were potentially purchased in contravention of the R700 000 limit by Cabinet members such as Fikile Mbalula, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Pravin Gordhan, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Joe Phaahla – Schreiber said the DA was preparing to lay a complaint with the Office of the Public Protector.

“The Ministerial Handbook also stipulates that an official vehicle may only be replaced after 120 000 kilometres or five years, or if it ‘experiences serious mechanical problems and is in a poor condition’. The DA will therefore work to obtain all of the relevant records to expose any cases where vehicles were prematurely replaced.”

The DA called on all South African to support the party’s motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, which the party refers to as the “poverty cabinet”. The motion is due to be voted on in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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