Millions spent on bodyguards irks DA
DA and the city involved in spat over millions paid each month on security for councillors.
THE millions spent on councillor’s bodyguards by the city has irked the DA who this week called it “theft”.
According to the DA, in January alone the eThekwini Municipality paid more than R3.2 million in personal security related expenses for 22 of its councillors. “Each councillor has a bodyguard at R71 000 per month, a rented car at R22 000 per month and a driver at R35 000 per month. Some councillors bodyguards are even more expensive at R106 000 per month,” DA eThekwini Caucus Leader, Zwakele Mncwango said.
A total of 19 of these councillors are from the ANC and three are from the NFP the DA said. “This is amounts to theft of rate payers’ money. These are shockingly inflated rates for these services. This expense is driven by the inability of the ANC to maintain order amongst their membership. People are constantly being threatened with violence. ”
Mncwango said the role of protecting coucillors must be done by Metro Police.
But the city hit back saying the safety of councillors was a sensitive matter and should not be politicised. “The decision to provide councillors with security is not taken lightly but it is based on threat analysis reports from the SAPS, Crime Intelligence Unit and in some cases the National Intelligence Unit,” speaker , Logie Naidoo said.
Naidoo said the costs were in no way inflated and were inclusive of motor vehicle costs. “In some instances, Council provides static guards either at a councillor’s home or office. The level of security provided is based on the threat analysis report per councillor. This is the reason for variance in costs. The amount of R3.2million applies to the month of January. “
Naidoo called the statements made by Mncwango “nothing more than an attempt to score cheap political points in the lead up to the General Elections”.
