The lifestyles of SA's former presidents are under scrutiny in parliament.
Over the past five years, the government has spent at least R82m in public funds to support the lifestyles of former presidents, says Dr Leon Schreiber, MP and DA shadow minister for public service and administration.
This is not the full extent of the expenditure, said Schreiber, "as it is only based on 60% of the available data, which means that the total amount potentially reaches as high as R114m."
The allocations are to former presidents Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and FW de Klerk and their spouses, as well as former deputy presidents Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Baleka Mbete, along with their spouses.
Schreiber said the information emerged from replies to parliamentary questions the Democratic Alliance posed after seeing Zuma arrive at the Zondo Commission, "accompanied by eight luxury vehicles, flashing blue lights, and dozens of security guards".
The Sunday Times reported previously that Zuma's post-presidential benefits include a guaranteed salary for life that currently stands at R3m a year, as well as perks such as a security detail.
Schreiber said some R16m was spent on travel and subsistence for former presidents and their spouses. An additional R65m was used over the same period to provide for the needs of the former presidents and their spouses.
The DA said it intends to pose a follow-up question to attain a breakdown of how much of the R82m was spent on each of the six beneficiaries and their families.
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