The DA rejects the recently revised Ministerial Handbook because it fails to set limitations on lavish ministerial expenditure. The handbook in its current form is nothing more than a blank cheque for Ministers to spend the people’s money on their own private affairs.
We will be writing to the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, requesting that the committee considers making representations to the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Senzo Mchunu, on why the handbook in its current form is unsustainable and should be drastically amended to cut back on wasteful expenditure by members of the Executive.
President Ramaphosa previously committed to a revised Ministerial Handbook that would cut lavish ministerial expenditure, however this has turned out to be just another broken promise. The revised ministerial handbook does exactly the opposite.
For example, the revised handbook does not limit the amount a minister or deputy minister is allowed to spend on ministerial vehicles. The previous ministerial handbook had unacceptably high tolerance for Ministers to buy vehicles, a bill which cost South African tax payers at least R50 million in the last three years. The revised handbook removes all limits on what ministers are allowed to spend on ministerial vehicles, allowing Ministers to spend more than R1.6 million per vehicle – and the bill will far exceed what we saw in the past.
This is in sharp contrast to the Western Cape Ministerial Handbook which has been a model of frugal governance since its revision in 2011. The Province has managed to save over R100 million by cutting down on business flights and amending the vehicle policy – among other cuts.
The new national Ministerial Handbook also increases the amount that ministers may spend on personal security from R100 000 per year to R250 000. South Africans will also have to foot the bill for former ministers and deputy ministers’ business class flight tickets. This provision implies that South Africans will on average pay R192 000 per year per former minister, and approximately R17 million per year in total.
To add insult to injury, South African taxpayers are also expected to pay for domestic services, at ministers’ residences, and even their DSTV, at three houses per minister.
The DA is disappointed in the revised Ministerial Handbook, and the lack of consulting of any other parties.
The DA will fight for drastic amendments in order to put a stop to such excessive spending public money by politicians. South Africans pay tax to improve South Africa, not to upkeep ANC cadres’ lavish lifestyles.