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The SAPS is spending nearly R1 000 per day to make sure there are luxury cars on stand-by for Jacob Zuma’s three wives at all times across the country. The total cost of the two-year contract will be in the region of R700 000.

This cannot be right in a country where 18 million South Africans live on less than R20 per day. It cannot be right in the context of a job-sapping recession that continues to destroy people’s livelihoods on a daily basis.

Instead of tightening its belt, our government is letting it all hang out.

Conspicuous consumption by our government has reached epic proportions at a time when most governments around the world are cutting back. Since 2009, we calculate that R4.4 billion has been spent on luxuries, perks and privileges for government ministers and their spouses.

This is a government that has got its priorities all wrong.

Rural police stations across South Africa suffer from a chronic shortage of squad cars. Many of them do not even have running water. And yet the SAPS budget is going towards chauffeuring the first ladies around the country in luxury sedans.

The response, as always, from the national government is that the current Ministerial Handbook permits this kind of expenditure. We believe that the Handbook itself is the problem, which is why we have introduced a new Ministerial Handbook in the Western Cape where we govern.

Despite promising a new national Ministerial Handbook for two and half years, the national government has failed to produce one. Clearly, their enjoyment of the high life outweighs any pangs of conscience they may feel.

The DA will continue to pressurize the national government to introduce a new Ministerial Handbook which we trust will follow in the frugal footsteps of the Western Cape. And we will continue to cut frivolous and wasteful expenditure where we govern.