FURY as cabinet ministers exposed for spending over R20m on luxury cars

Corruption and wasteful expenditure seemingly have no limits here in South Africa. Taxpayers are already used to seeing millions of rand be used for the wrong reasons. The latest case of HUGE money going to waste is a particularly sickening one. According to new Parliamentary responses, cabinet ministers have spent over R20 million on brand new luxury vehicles.

Vroom vroom: Cabinet Ministers blow millions on luxury cars

After DA MPs hurled questions at cabinet ministers about their official vehicles, the replies have now all been put together.

Ministers were asked to provide information on their government-provided vehicles since 2019. Many of these new vehicles also cost much more than R700 000. That’s the spending limit imposed by the November 2019 version of the Ministerial Handbook.

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The Ministerial Handbook allows each Minister and Deputy to have a luxury car for use in Pretoria and Cape Town. These cars are paid for by local taxpayers.

The DA reveals that since 2019, 24 new vehicles have been bought for Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

The average cost for the 24 vehicles purchased was R789 736. Yes, that is over the 2019 handbook limit.

So which cabinet ministers bought themselves new fancy cars? Sadly, the list is not a short one.

• Fikile Mbalula
• Nkosazana Dlaini-Zuma
• Pravin Gordhan
• Tito Mboweni
• Maite Nkoane-Mashabe
• Joe Phaahla
• Mmaloko Kubayi-Ngubane
• Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Audi S8 supercars?

The replies reveal that in March 2019, the Department of Human Settlements paid OVER R3 MILLION for two vehicles. These weren’t just any cars though. These were Audi S8 supercars.

“They were bought for the enjoyment of former Minister Nomaindia Mfeketo and her Deputy at the time, Zou Kota-Fredericks. The dashing duo were however fired soon after, and the vehicles were likely mostly used by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and her Deputy, Pam Tshwete, to speed through traffic to the nearest luxury shopping outlet.”

DA MP Leon Schreiber

The next most expensive purchase was that of COGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s new ride. She purchased a new Volvo XC60 in Match 2020. That’s a total of R906 699 just for the new car.

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Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan spent R783 909 on his Audi A6.

The cheapest car bought for a minister? That was former Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s Mercedes-Benz C180. That cost the taxpayer R652 943.

Despite lockdown, these cabinet ministers also spent over R1 million on petrol and maintenance since 2019.