Communications spends R150 000 on luxury extras

A reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question has revealed that the Department of Communications has purchased for the new Minister of Communications two new vehicles (both BMW 750i) to the value to R1 135 000 each, or a combined total of R2 270 000; one for Pretoria and one for Cape Town. More disturbingly, the reply reveals that the department spent R136 000 on extras for one of the vehicles including features like:

·         Rear seat entertainment at a cost of R23 000

·         An innovations package (including things like ambient interior lighting and a rear view camera) at a cost of R35 000; and

·         Gross gloss satin chrome finish at a cost of R5 600

The second car also had a series of additional extras, but only to the cost of R12 200, including:

·         A sports leather steering wheel at a cost of R2 300; and

·         A rear view camera at a cost of R5 000

In other words, not only did the Department spend R2.2 million on new, top of the range cars, it spent an additional R150 000 on a series of features which can only be described as frivolous and a massive waste of public money.
A full copy of the reply follows below.
The ANC government, despite being in the grips of an economic recession and regardless of the endless public commitments by President Zuma to cut back on wastage, has not altered its approach to public spending: it continues to misuse public funds for entirely unnecessary purposes.

During this time of economic crisis when hundreds of thousands of ordinary South Africans are losing their jobs and businesses across the country are shutting down government should be setting the tone for austerity and sound financial management.

The DA will be submitting a follow up parliamentary question to ask how this expenditure was in the public interest and, whether the Minister can explain to the public what value it gets from items like a sports leather steering wheel and back seat entertainment.

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 358

 
DATE OF PUBLICATION:   10 July 2009
QUESTION PAPER NO: 6
DATE OF REPLY: 15 July 2009

Mr N J van den Berg (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:

(1) Whether he purchased a new vehicle on his appointment to office; if so, (a) why, (b) what make and model is the vehicle, (c) what did the vehicle cost and (d)(i) what accessories were included in excess of the vehicle's purchase price and (ii) what was the cost of such accessories; if not,

(2) whether he inherited an existing vehicle; if so, (a) what was the make and model and (b) how old is the vehicle?

NW418E

Reply:

1. Yes

(a) In terms of the Ministerial Handbook as approved by Cabinet on 7 February 2007, "Departments may purchase official vehicle/s directly from manufacturers and/or their dealerships only when the currently provided official vehicle for that office has reached 120 000 km or 5 years, whichever comes first".

The vehicle for use in Cape Town was 9 years old and had reached 115 072 kms. The vehicle for use in Pretoria was 4 years old and had reached 137 194 kms.

(b) & (c)

(d)(i) & (ii) 

Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko, Democratic Alliance deputy shadow minister of communications, July 16 2009

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