The Democratic Alliance has called on President Jacob Zuma to “show leadership” and scrap a purported acquisition of a R4 billion presidential jet.
The City Press reported on Sunday that plans are afoot to begin the procurement process for a luxury VIP jet replete with conference room, bathroom and private bedroom suite.
DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Kobus Marais said that in “strained financial times” Zuma cannot possibly “need such a luxury”.
“While we appreciate that the President’s existing jet, Inkwazi, has been grounded from time to time due to mechanical problems, a R4bn luxury VIP jet fitted with a private bedroom suite, a bathroom and conference room for eight and 30 person capacity is not the answer,” Marais said in a statement.
“I will be requesting that this deal be halted and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence can thoroughly interrogate the procurement process and recommend more cost effective options so Parliament can satisfy itself that the taxpayer is not footing the bill for outrageously frivolous expenditure for the President to jet-set across the globe at taxpayers’ expense.”
Congress of the people spokesperson Dennis Bloem said that viewed alongside a national debt of R1.85 trillion, splurging on a jet is to break the camel’s back.
“South Africa cannot afford the ANC government. The Zuma administration is impervious to the hardships of the people at large. It is spending recklessly and leaving a mountain of debt to the next generation to pay off,” he said in a statement.
“Is the Zuma administration gone insane? Is there no one in cabinet who can foresee the danger of the fiscal cliff looming large?” Bloem questioned.
Zuma reading his new jet's owners manual at 30 000ft is as close as South Africa's goverment will get to investing in 'higher education'
— Ryan Cummings (@Pol_Sec_Analyst) November 8, 2015
#Zuma doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks – including #ANC. His intended new jet proves that.
— Clive Simpkins 🕉️ ✡️ ✝️ ☪️ ☸️ (@clivesimpkins) November 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/Sentletse/status/663401203779436545
Zuma wanting a R4 billion private jet is hardly surprising. Next he'll want a fifty and thousand twenty hundred and four showerhead.
— J (@jtkeays) November 8, 2015
#Zuma is getting a R4 Billion jet? it has a meeting facility, maybe they can discuss how to find the money for free education?
— Chris Forrest (@ChrisForrestSA) November 8, 2015
