Dear Editor
The DA is outraged at the priorities of the Minister and Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources who have both splashed out on new luxury vehicles at the taxpayers’ expense.
As the mining industry lost R37 billion in value last year and continues to bleed jobs but the leadership of the DMR seems pleased enough with itself to reward the ministers with cars that far exceed the spending cap imposed by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed a loss of 17 thousand more mining jobs in the last three months of last year, with a total of 62 thousand jobs being lost over the whole of last year.
It’s reported that Minister Mosebenzi Zwane bought a Mercedes-Benz S400 and Deputy Minister Godfrey Olifant bought a Porsche Cayenne. Both purchases happened within the last few months and each cost more than R1.3 million. That was in defiance of Gordhan’s cap of R750 000 for new ministerial vehicles.
The Sowetan reports National treasury approved the purchases because the standard treasury contract did not include the cars the ministers “preferred”.
This is a completely inappropriate signal to send to those who lost their jobs and their families, who in many cases will face a future without an income.
The DA believes both ministers should explain to the people of South Africa why they deserve such luxury and suggests they spend more time fixing the failing industry rather than cruising car showrooms to find the ostentatious vehicles that they prefer.
Regards
James Lorimer MP
DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources
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