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The Minister of Police's stay at the five star Durban Hilton, at a cost to the taxpayer in excess of R500 000.00, is the latest in a long list of luxury indulgences undertaken by the political leadership of the Department of Police. Not only is this in direct contravention of the President's repeated calls for austerity and prudence, but it flies in the face of common sense and a commitment to put the public before one's personal gratification. If one adds this latest extravagance to the cars bought by the Minister and the Deputy Minister, as well as the stay at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, these two individuals are largely responsible for approximately R3 773 344.00 worth of public money being spent on personal opulence. Quite how the Minister is going to be able to justify this sort of behaviour to a police service that very often put their lives on the line for next to no money each month is difficult to imagine. South Africa's security services are being forced to watch on as those people ostensibly responsible for providing good leadership and inspiration act in a manner which suggests they are not only totally out of touch with the experience of ordinary South Africans, but with the day to day lives of those police men and women they are responsible for overseeing. In his State of the Nation Address, in June, President Jacob Zuma made the following statement: "Since the implementation of our programme will take place in the face of the economic downturn, we will have to act prudently - no wastage, no rollovers of funds - every cent must be spent wisely and fruitfully. We must cut our cloth according to our size." Since then, the following facts have emerged, with regard to the Department of Police, in particular:
• The Minister bought a BMW X5 3.0D, at a cost of R685 091.00, including extras such as reverse cameras; navigation system; sport suspension; sunroof; and electric seat adjustment, for use in Cape Town.
• The Minister also bought a BMW X5 3.0D, at a cost of R677 270.00, including extras such as reverse cameras; navigation system; sport suspension; sunroof; and electric seat adjustment, for use in Pretoria.
• The Deputy Minister bought a BMW 740i, at a cost of R832 700.00, including extras to the value of R35 800.00, including a rear view camera, ceramic surround for controls, ambient interior lighting, adaptive headlights, high beam assist, lane departure warning and lane change warning. The car was for Pretoria.
• The Deputy Minister bought a Mercedes-Benz ML500, at a cost of R759 529.00, including extras to the value of R48 079.00 and which included an off road package, media interface, privacy glass, multi-contour seat package and ext. spare wheel carrier. This car was for use in Cape Town.
• The Minister and eight police officials stayed at the Five Star Table Bay Hotel for a combined total of 66 days at a cost of R234 875.67.
• The Minister and a series of officials stayed at the Five Star Durban Hilton Hotel for a combined cost in excess of R500 000.
There appears to be only one thing more difficult for the ANC government to deliver than basic services, and that is the ability to reign in the egos of their members who form the Executive. The DA on Friday submitted a question about the Minister's stay at the Hilton Hotel, we will now ask what other hotels the Minister stayed at, and the cost of those stays, as part of the ‘road show' he was supposedly on, according to the statement issued by his department in response to this latest issue. We have also asked if any family members accompanied him. One final point is worth making: for the Minister to suggest that, in making these facts public, ‘elements' in our society are acting to ‘shifting the focus away from the fight against crime' is the defence of a coward. The Minister needs to address first and foremost his own attitude to public money. That is the cause of the problem. Nothing more. Nothing less.