VIP blue-light brigades: How much is it costing South African taxpayers?

Not only are VIP blue-light brigades in South Africa a danger to motorists, but they cost taxpayers millions in fuel. There have been repeated incidents of high-speed accidents, brazen disregard for the rules of the road, and even injury and assault. But to add insult to injury, it has come to light how much the VIP blue-light brigades in South Africa cost taxpayers, too.

VIP BLUE-LIGHT BRIGADES IN SOUTH AFRICA

According to new report from Business Tech, Police Minister Bheki Cele was brought to book in a parliamentary Q&A session, outlining the departments’ fuel spend on VIP protection services. VIP blue-light brigades in South Africa have cost taxpayers R42 million on fuel alone over the past six years.

This excludes what we assume to be a pretty hefty maintenance and service bill for the fleet. On fuel alone, that works out to more than R580 000 per month. And, no doubt, the expense is only going to mount up as the petrol price for May 2024 will likely see another 35c per litre increase.

SPECIAL SAPS UNIT

Following reports of increased SAPS impersonator scams, the VIP Protection Unit is another division that’s not above courting controversy. It is responsible for static and in-transit protection of the President (including former Presidents), cabinet ministers, MECs, as well as foreign dignitaries.

The lion’s share of the spend is in Gauteng and the Western Cape, which is unsurprising given that the Union Buildings in Pretoria and Houses of Parliament in Cape Town. However, somewhat curiously, it’s been revealed that Mpumalanga is the next biggest spender of public funds. After the aforementioned provinces, Mpumalanga’s fuel spend on VIP vehicles exceeds R1.1-million annually.

TAKING TAXPAYERS FOR A RIDE

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Andrew Whitfield says ANC VIP cadres are taking taxpayers for a ride. Whitfield noted that the ANC spends nearly as much money protecting VIP ministers and politicians as it does policing serious crimes. R2.18 billion is budgeted for VIP protection. While just R2.4 billion is budgeted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (aka The Hawks).