DA gives Ramaphosa ultimatum to scrap ministerial handbook

The Democratic Alliance briefed the media on the handbook, and they alleged increase in perks for members of the executive, on Monday.

The party's Leon Schreiber said the amendments will cost taxpayers millions of rands.

"Over the past two weeks the DA has methodically exposed to the people of South Africa how President Cyril Ramaphosa secretly abuses the ministerial handbook to dish out expensive pecks to ministers and deputy ministers.

"Due to Ramaphosa's amendments to the handbook, taxpayers now have to foot the entire water and electricity bills for official ministerial residences, whether they are government-owned or privately-owned. 

"Under Ramaphosa’s amendments, taxpayers will also spend R87 million more every year on additional staff in ministerial offices."

Schreiber said the changes were also implemented under a veil of complete secrecy back.

“It was only through the work of the DA in Parliament that we were able to uncover and expose these costly amendments. That the president has dictatorial powers to force taxpayers to pay millions more for ministerial perks without even having to report this to Parliament is an assault on our democracy.

"As a result, the DA is today directing an ultimatum to Ramaphosa personally to apologise to the people of South Africa for feasting on their suffering; Scrap the ministerial handbook in its current form and replace the handbook with an open and transparent new process where Parliament gets the power to decide which limited and properly costed cabinet benefits may be warranted in certain cases.

"Ramaphosa has until Friday to meet the DA’s demands,” added Schreiber.

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