Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma on Friday announced the benefit policies of his wives will come under review after it was revealed this week that close to R9 million was spent by the SA Police Service on vehicles for the first ladies.
“The Presidency will engage the South African Police Service to discuss the harmonisation of benefit policies in light of the recent announcement of the procurement of vehicles for the spouses of the President,” Zuma said in a statement.
Read: Zuma’s wives’ cars: AfriForum takes it to Public Protector
“The discussions with SAPS will take place as part of the ongoing review of benefit policies within government informed by the depressed economic climate and the spirit of spending public funds prudently as announced by President Jacob Zuma in the State of the Nation Address and expanded upon by the Minister of Finance in the budget vote speech.”
The statement said the transport benefits of former presidents and deputy presidents spouses will also be reviewed.
On Tuesday, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko revealed that more than R8.6 million of the SAPS budget was used to buy luxury sports utility vehicles for the presidents wives over the past four financial years.
The vehicles purchased included four Range Rover SUVs, purchased in 2013, at a cost of R946 612 each and two Land Rover Discovery SUVs, purchased in 2014 for R638 831 each.
According to Nhleko’s written reply, five vehicles were purchased this year - two Audi Q7 SUVs at a cost of R857 047 each and three Audi A 6 sedans with a price tag of R634 992 each.
The vehicles were purchased after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced a set of cost containment measures in his budget speech which included “new guidelines to limit the value of vehicle purchases for political office bearers”.
African News Agency