Minister Nhleko should sell Zuma wives’ cars to better resource SAPS

25 May 2016

The DA calls on the Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko, to sell the lavish cars his department has bought for President Zuma’s four wives over the past five years and use the money to provide resources to the strained South African Police Service (SAPS) in high crime areas. 

This comes after a parliamentary reply yesterday revealed that R8.6 million was spent on Zuma’s wives' cars, which include high-end luxury makes like Range Rovers, Land Rover Discoveries and Audi Q7s, in the last five financial years. 

This amount could have been used to hire an additional 61 police officers for a year and in so doing, create employment while making crime hotspot areas in South Africa safer.

Instead of Minister Nhleko giving effect to his core mandate, which is to keep our streets safe, he has allowed exorbitant amounts of public money to be spent on lavish VIP vehicles for the President’s wives. This is all while South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, and our police service remains under-staffed and under-resourced, especially in poor communities. 

This is symptomatic of an ANC government which puts Zuma and his interests first and the people of South Africa last. 

On 3 August, the people of South Africa have an opportunity to put an end to the flagrant misuse of state funds, and vote for a DA government, which will put their needs first, all of the time. 

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 25 May 2016