Timeline needed from Zuma on review of lavish expenditure on wives’ cars

27 May 2016

The DA welcomes the President’s commitment to review the transport benefits allocated to his four wives by the Department of Police. 

President Zuma must now specify a timeline for the proposed review and extend the review to cover all presidential benefits. 

In addition, the DA reiterates its calls to have these cars sold and better use these funds. The Presidency needs to also confirm whether or not President Jacob Zuma knew about this exorbitant expenditure.

This follows a parliamentary reply earlier this week that revealed R8.6 million was spent on Zuma’s wives' cars in the last five financial years. These cars included high-end luxury makes like Range Rovers, Land Rover Discoveries and Audi Q7s. 

The Presidency’s commitment to review these purchases is in itself not enough and will merely be another hollow election promise if the Presidency and the President himself do not commit to a timeline by which this review will commence and be completed. 

The review should also not only be limited to the R8.6 million spent on purchasing luxury cars for his wives, but must be extended to all the president’s benefits.

At a time when South Africa’s economy is plagued by low growth and high unemployment, in no small part to Zuma’s policy uncertainty, it is reprehensible that such an amount was spent of luxury cars for his wives. 

The same amount of money could have been used to hire an additional 61 police officers for a year or to provide jobs to 1 315 EPWP workers.

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 27 May 2016