The 24 cars ministers bought during lockdown

While many taxpayers lost their jobs and businesses to the Covid-19 pandemic, ministers and deputy ministers were splurging on luxury vehicles.  

The Sunday Times reported ministers and their deputies spent roughly R19m on luxury vehicles. This came to light after government departments provided the information in response to questions from the DA.

From the response, it emerged that the government splurged taxpayers’ money on 24 luxury vehicles for 17 ministers and deputy ministers between 2019 and 2021.

Some of the vehicles cost more than the R700,000 spending limit imposed in the November 2019 version of the ministerial handbook. The handbook was amended to introduce a R700,000 cap on ministerial vehicles but was later increased to R800,000 by a Treasury directive. 

These are the cars ministers, former ministers and deputy ministers bought: 

Ministers 

• Co-operative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: Volvo XC60 — R806,700.
• Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan: Audi A6 — R783,910.
• Transport minister Fikile Mbalula: BMW 5 Series — R750,000.
• Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni: Audi Q5 TDI — R726,000.
• Health minister Joe Phaahla: Audi Q5 — R756,000.
• Human settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane: Volvo XC60 (x2) — R700,000 each 
• Persons with disabilities minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane: Audi Q5 — R690,000.

Deputy minister

• Deputy public enterprises minister Phumulo Masualle: Audi A6 — R783,910.
• Deputy trade, industry & competition minister Fikile Majola: BMW 5 series — R799,000.
• Second deputy trade, industry & competition minister Nomalungelo Gina: BMW 5 series — R743,000.
• Deputy higher education minister Buti Manamela: BMW X3 -R761,000.
• Deputy employment & labour minister Boitumelo Moloi: Audi Q5 — R748,000. 
• Deputy sports, arts & culture minister Nocawe Mafu: BMW 520 — R649,000
• Deputy social development minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu: Lexus NX300 (x2) — R664,723 each.
• Deputy home affairs minister Njabulo Nzuza: BMW 520d — R668,000.
• Deputy tourism minister Fish Mahlalela: Volvo XC40 (x2) — R700,000 each.

Former ministers

• Former human settlements minister Nomaindia Mfeketo: Audi S8 — R1.56m.
• Former deputy human settlements minister Zoe Kota-Fredericks: Audi S8 — R1.56m.
• Former forestry & fisheries minister Maggie Sotyu: Audi Q5 -R747,000.
• Former finance minister Tito Mboweni: Mercedes-Benz C180 — R653,943.
• Former minister of higher education Hlengiwe Mkhize: Audi Q5 — R690,000.

DA MP Leon Schreiber slammed the ministers for buying “flashy new wheels” while “poverty, hunger and hardship exploded all around them”.

“While every other citizen feels this pain every day at the taxi rank, fuel pump and cash register, there is one elite class of South Africans who are exempt from the cost of living crisis facing our country — the very ANC cabinet that caused the poverty crisis in the first place,” said Schreiber.

Speaking to Sunday Times, Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesperson, Mlungisi Mtshali, said the department made an application to the Treasury for permission to purchase her vehicle.

“We did submit a request to the minister of Treasury at that time and the approval was granted,” said Mtshali. 

He said the car did not have any extras.

“We made the request based on the type of travel that she does to municipalities. You will find that she doesn’t rent cars, she drives across the country,” he said.

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