By Gaye Davis
Deputy Political Editor
Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel has a new car - a BMW 750i series - which has cost taxpayers nearly R1,2 million.
The price of the car was R1 081 450, and it came with unspecified accessories costing an extra R99 200.
Details emerged in a written reply to a question from DA shadow finance minister Dion George.
The DA said this put Manuel in the top five in terms of ministers' expenditure on vehicles. Manuel's R100 00 spent on extras brought the total spent by ministers on extras alone to about R800 000 so far, George said.
- Motoring editor Les Stephenson breaks down all the features of the BMW 750i VIDEO AND PICS
"It's quite an indictment - while he was minister of finance, Minister Manuel was preaching austerity and the need to be aware of the economic circumstances the country is in. He is not practising that.
"The extras on the cars are not a necessity - they are an extension of the ministers' egos - and unfortunately Manuel is on this giant ego trip as well."
George said he was disappointed, as he would have expected better of Manuel.
"It's a new ministry, but Manuel's successor (as finance minister), Pravin Gordhan, purchased two much more modest vehicles," George said.
Gordhan spent under R1m on two vehicles - an Audi and a Lexus - for use in Pretoria and Cape Town.
"The question is simply this - why is it necessary to have such an expensive car? It's completely excessive. It's just not necessary and nor is it appropriate," George said.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the trade union federation's position on ministerial cars remained unchanged.
"We're opposed in principle to public representatives paying such large amounts on luxury cars when they should be setting an example by putting their own interests second to those of the people they represent."
Manuel said his previous vehicle's motor plan had expired and that it "would not be cost-effective" to retain the vehicle. He pointed out that the National Planning Commission was "a new ministry", meaning that there was no vehicle for him to inherit from a predecessor.
The top spender in the car stakes remains Free State Premier Ace Magashule, who reportedly spent R1,3m on a Mercedes-Benz S600.
He is hotly pursued by Minister of Communications Siphiwe Nyanda, who spent R1,27m - also on a BMW 750i series.
The total amount spent on ministerial cars now stands at well over the R42-million mark.