The wings of high-flying ministers have been clipped under new rules barring them from flying first class and taking their spouses on unlimited international trips.
Cabinet ministers and their deputies will also no longer be allowed to splurge on luxury cars procured with taxpayers' money.
This is according to public service and administration minister Ayanda Dlodlo, who outlined details of the revised ministerial handbook to be implemented after the May elections.
Dlodlo said that in terms of the amended handbook, which has been 10 years in the making, the National Treasury will now be the department in charge of buying vehicles for all ministers, their deputies, MECs and provincial premiers.
Dlodlo said the Treasury would work with the police – and only the police – to determine which vehicles were suitable and safe for official use.
This is aimed at preventing politicians from procuring over-the-top vehicles as the government scrambles to find measures to stop wasteful spending.
Dlodlo said her department had recommended that the amount ministers spent on their official cars be reduced.
The ministerial handbook provides for ministers to spend 70% of their annual salaries (R1.3m) as a vehicle allowance.
“The type of vehicle must be determined by the minister of police. I don't think he is going to say you can buy Porsche cars or an S-class [Mercedes].”
The issue of ministers and deputy ministers forking out millions of rands of public money for top-of-the-range vehicles has been controversial for several years.
A series of parliamentary questions by opposition MPs uncovered that the government spent up to R42m on luxury vehicles for ministers and deputy ministers between 2014 and 2017.
Dlodlo said the new guidelines would also put a complete stop to first-class air travel for all members of the national executive.
Furthermore, ministers and deputy ministers will be limited to taking their spouse along on only two international trips a year. "We have to take into account that if Ayanda is going for two weeks at a time, there should be that provision for a spouse to accompany the minister or deputy minister. But that is only accommodated for two trips. Not more than that," Dlodlo said.
International travel of spouses will also have to be sanctioned by the president.
Dlodlo said her department was also reviewing the number of free flights allocated to former MPs and former ministers as a post-retirement benefit.
The proposed amendments to the ministerial handbook have been presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who sent them back to the minister for further adjustments in line with the looming reconfiguration of the government. – Sunday Times..