President Jacob Zuma will be reviewing the transport benefits of his wives, and those of former presidents and deputy presidents.
This comes after police Minister Nathi Nhleko this week revealed in a parliamentary reply that the Saps had spent R8.6m buying luxury cars for Zuma’s wives in the last five years.
The presidency said in a statement today that they would engage the Saps to ‘discuss the harmonisation of benefit policies in light of the recent announcement of the procurement of vehicles for the spouses of the President’.
This would be part of an ongoing review of government benefits in light of the depressed economic climate, the presidency said.
It would be in the spirit of spending public finds prudently.
“The discussions will take into account the transport benefits of spouses of serving principals and also those of former presidents and deputy presidents.”
In a Parliamentary reply published on Tuesday, Nhleko told Democratic Alliance MP Zakhele Mbhele that the cars were bought in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
These included four Range Rovers, two Land Rover Discoveries, two Audi Q7s and three Audi A6s.
They were bought to ‘provide comprehensive protection of VIP Spouses’, Nhleko said.
The Presidency was also reviewing the security benefits of Presidents and Deputy Presidents, it said in the statement.
This was in light of the report by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and the recent Constitutional Court judgment on Zuma’s Nkandla homestead.
