The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it wanted to send a strong and clear message that it rejected the allowances received by ministers and deputy ministers in the ministerial handbook, adding that it was “illegal under the law.”
The official opposition is expected to picket the so-called “rockstar minister” at the minister’s luxury estate, Bryntirion, in Tshwane.
Picket
The protest will be led by DA leader John Steenhuisen, Dr Leon Schreiber, who is the party’s shadow minister for Public Services and Administration portfolio, Bridget Masango, shadow minister for Social Development, and Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga.
Talk to The WargaSchreiber said the ministerial handbook is not authorized by law.
“There is no law that says there is a document that gives the president carte blanche to add all kinds of allowances that cost South African taxpayers billions of rands every year.
The second aspect we will highlight is the minister and deputy minister causing the crisis in South Africa. Everything from load shedding to unemployment, the cost of living is rising. They are responsible for the crisis,” Schreiber said.
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Public Protector Investigation
Schreiber said the DA will demand that Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka act to speed up the investigation into the minister’s handbook guidelines.
“This is a key aspect of our campaign. We have made a complaint with the Public Protector to investigate the fact that we have not found a law that authorizes the president to do this. It is something that was submitted in October last year.
It’s still being considered by the Public Protector, but we don’t know when it will be finalized and it doesn’t seem to be in a hurry,” Schreiber said.
Estate minister
Meanwhile, Steenhuisen said Bryntirion is the largest ministerial estate in South Africa.
“Here ANC cadres are living like rock stars in their multi-million rand houses behind the 60 million citizens who suffer every day because of this government’s failure.
The minister who has run this country to the ground lives in 97 mansions in Cape Town and Pretoria, worth nearly R1 billion. This is in stark contrast to the millions of South Africans who struggle every day to feed their children and keep their businesses open,” Steenhuisen said.
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