Did Jacob Zuma know about R8.6 million luxury car purchase for his wives?

26 May 2016

The DA will submit written parliamentary questions to President Jacob Zuma, as well as write to his office, to seek clarity as to whether he had any knowledge of the extravagant purchase, to the tune of R8.6 million, of luxury vehicles for his wives. 

We will further enquire as to whether the President or any of his family members made the request for these lavish vehicles from the Department of Police, and whether any request was made for the expenditure to be reasonable given the state of our economy, and high unemployment rate. 

It is hard to believe that the President had no knowledge of this purchase, and would not have noticed new vehicles being driven by family members. He cannot rely on his often repeated “angazi” defence again. 

South Africans deserve to know how it is that so much money could have been spent on benefiting the President’s family, right under Jacob Zuma’s nose, while 8.9 million people remain jobless. 

According to DA calculations, this money could have hired an additional 61 policemen to service under-resourced and under-equipped communities. It could have also created an additional 1 315 EPWP job opportunities. 

President Zuma, his office, and the Minister of Police, must break their silence and come clean as to who knew about the purchase, and who asked for it. 

The DA will continue to use all mechanisms available to investigate this matter. We will not allow Jacob Zuma to put himself first, while South Africans battle with high crime rates, record high unemployment and a lack of basic services.   

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 26 May 2016