All 32 ministers in the newly formed Government of National Unity are allowed to spend R800,000 on buying a new car fit for duty, as per the National Treasury.
When taking up office, every minister is provided with one vehicle in Pretoria and Cape Town, respectively, to carry out their duties.
Spouses and other dependent family members are also allowed to be transported in the official vehicle by the minister’s driver/aide or an SAPS VIP driver/protector.
In terms of the latest Ministerial Handbook, the department heads must use these vehicles unless they are deemed replaceable, which only happens if they have surpassed 120,000km or five years of age, or if they experience serious mechanical problems and are in poor condition, in which event a detailed mechanical report by the vehicle manufacturer or approved dealer is required.
When a new service car is to be procured, it must be done through the transversal contract concluded by the National Treasury for the procurement of bulk motor vehicles in consultation with the Minister of Police.
The cost of this car is covered by the budget of the relevant department, which is allocated to it by the Treasury. Similarly, expenses related to tyres, fuel, oil, toll fees, and repairs are also covered.
As such, if the entire fleet of vehicles for all ministers, which includes two cars per individual, were to be replaced in one go, it would cost taxpayers in the realm of R51.2 million.
What’s available
When deciding on their purchase, the various departments must take the following into account:
- The limitation on the cost of the vehicle as determined by the Minister of Finance
- The terrain to be travelled by the relevant Minister
- Localisation and beneficiation
These vehicles are bought directly from the manufacturers as it allows the government to avoid paying dealer markups and spend less of the taxpayer’s money. It’s therefore difficult to determine exactly how much the various ministers pay for their cars.
In and around the R800,000 mark, however, there are many luxurious options available that will satisfy even the most discerning department heads.
Examples of these are shown below:
Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD Double Cab LS 4×4 Auto – R781,600
VW Tiguan 1.4TSI 110kW R-Line – R781,800
Audi A4 35TFSI Advanced – R789,800
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4DI-D – R789,990
Kia Sportage 1.6CRDi GT Line Plus – R790,995
Volvo EX30 Core Single Motor – R791,900
Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.5T Hybrid Ti – R799,900
BMW X1 sDrive18i xLine – R808,899
Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 Double Cab Legend – R809,400
Nissan X-Trail 2.5 Acenta Plus 4WD – R810,900
Ford Ranger 2.0 BiTurbo SuperCab Wildtrak 4×4 – R813,000
MINI Countryman S ALL4 – R821,074
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