Luxury cars for Zuma wives

[Bob Molloy]

Where do I go to sign up for ANC membership?


ZUMA'S WIVES WANT LUXURY CARS IN SEVEN PROVINCES

Johannesburg: President Jacob Zuma wants to hire seven luxury cars for his wives.

The Presidential Protection and Security Services is looking for a vehicle-hire business that can provide one luxury vehicle, which must be available "at all times" in each of seven provinces.

"These vehicles are for the first ladies," national SAPS spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo said. The protection unit falls under the police service.

He said there were already vehicles in the Western Cape and Gauteng for the first ladies.

According to the tender document for the proposed contract, the vehicle must be a "luxury Class A1" sedan or 4x4. Examples of these were listed as a Mercedes-Benz S600, BMW 7 series, Audi A8 or A6, Mercedes-Benz ML, BMW X5 series, Audi Q7, Toyota Prado, Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan Pathfinder.

Vehicle-hire websites list rates for some of the luxury cars in the tender list as ranging from about R3 200 to more than R6 000 a day.

Naidoo would not say anything about the costs of the new contract.

"We don't give costs where a security matter comes into place, for security reasons," he said.
The tender document states that the vehicles "must be available at all times" and that the car-hire company must have a 24-hour call centre for bookings.

"Bookings must be accepted telephonically. Cancellation fee must only be payable if the cancellation was made four hours before collection of the car."

The contract is for two years and bids close on Thursday.

Naidoo would not say whether the wives would be expected to share a vehicle.

He dismissed suggestions that it might be a security problem to have such vehicles permanently under the control of an independent business, saying security risks were overcome by the protection unit drivers.

According to national budget documents released last week, the Protection and Security Services budget for 2011/12 is R1.547 billion.

This includes R544.4 million for VIP Protection Services, which provides for the protection of the president, deputy president, former presidents and their spouses, and other "identified dignitaries".

The documents state that this unit cost R406.4m in 2009/10, when it protected 453 South African and visiting foreign dignitaries. That works out at an average cost of about R897 130 a person.

In February, the DA listed state expenditure on luxury vehicles for politicians as R69.735m.

28 February 2011
The New Age
Sapa

[Paul (Pepe) Freemantle]

If you find out Bob, please let me know LOL

[henniek]

Its not only cars that is costing the tax payers . A hospital is envisaged for P.M's  on the grounds of parlementarian housing  in Pretoria . I believe the budged that was approved , and is in the order of 320 mil Rand . The hospital will be part of the Military medical services will be used for MP's and families , and visiting heads of state only

If the government goes on like that , No wonder four professors at Wits stole milions of Varsity funds to buy vehicles and property
it seems they thought if PM's can have it , why not them