Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has asked for a cheaper official car after discovering that her hired Mercedes-Benz is costing taxpayers R15 000 a month to hire.
This comes in the wake of revelations that three national cabinet ministers have bought super-luxury new cars worth R4,9-million between them - this despite President Jacob Zuma's promise to trim the fat on government spending, especially during the global economic crisis.
Shortly after taking office, Zille's provincial cabinet unanimously agreed not to buy luxury new cars - despite being permitted to under current government guidelines.
Instead, Zille reluctantly accepted a Mercedes from the government garage - a relatively modest second-hand E200 model, which the government garage provided.
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Zille's spokesperson Robert Macdonald said yesterday that Zille has now requested a more fuel-efficient model after also learning that the Mercedes is not owned by the government garage, but is being hired.
Newly-elected Mayor of the Winelands District Municipality, Badih Chaaban, yesterday offered surprise support for Zille's "austerity" measures.
"Yes, I will take Zille's lead. We will not be buying a new mayoral vehicle," Chaaban, who is not a DA member, said.
He said he was driven in a second-hand Mercedes ML320, which would not be replaced.
"But I like to drive, so most of the time I'm in my own car."
He said he and senior council leaders would only fly in economy class, and stay in four-star, not five-star, hotels.
"We're not in the habit of lavish spending," he said.
The City of Cape Town has confirmed that Mayor Dan Plato has chosen to retain the modest Toyota Prius he inherited from Zille. The DA wants government ministers to be restricted to vehicles valued at 50 percent of their salaries.
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