DA to picket against ‘rockstar ministers’ at Bryntirion estate in Tshwane

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it wants to send a strong and clear message, that it rejects the perks received by ministers and deputy ministers in the ministerial handbook, adding that its “not authorised by law.”

The official opposition is expected to picket against what it called “rockstar ministers” at the luxurious ministerial estate, Bryntirion, in Tshwane.

Picket

The protest will be led by DA leader John Steenhuisen, Dr Leon Schreiber, who serves as the party’s shadow minister for the Public Service and Administration portfolio, Bridget Masango, shadow minister for Social Development, and Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga.

Speaking to The Citizen, Schreiber said the ministerial handbook is not authorised by law.

“There is no law that says there can be such a document which gives the president carte blanche to basically add all kinds of perks that cost South African taxpayers billions of rands every year.

The second aspect that we will be highlighting is that ministers and deputy ministers caused the crisis in South Africa. Everything from load shedding to unemployment, rising cost of living. They are the ones responsible for these crises,” Schreiber said.

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Public Protector investigation

Schreiber said the DA will be demanding that acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka expedite the investigation into the ministerial handbook guidelines.

“This is a key aspect of our campaign. We have laid a complaint with the Public Protector to investigate the fact that we don’t find any law that authorises the president to do this. That was something that was submitted in October last year.

It is still being considered by the Public Protector, but we don’t know when that will be finalised and it doesn’t seem to be getting any urgency,” Schreiber said.

Ministerial estate

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen said Bryntirion is the biggest ministerial estate in South Africa.

“It is here where ANC cadres live like rockstars in multimillion rand houses on the backs of the 60 million citizens who suffer daily as a result of this government’s failures.

Ministers who have run this country into the ground are living in 97 mansions in Cape Town and Pretoria, worth nearly R1 billion.  This is in stark contrast to the millions of South Africans who struggle every day to feed their children and keep their business’ doors open,” Steenhuisen said.

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