DA handbook aims to clip presidential wings
THE presidential handbook is a “toothless instrument” that Parliament needs to revisit so as to curb the excesses that have led to the head of state’s budget ballooning above R1bn, says DA leader Mmusi Maimane.
Under President Jacob Zuma, the Presidency’s budget has spiked more than 225%, from R452.5m in 2008-09 to R1.15bn, said Maimane. It is for this reason that he has called for Parliament to have an oversight mechanism for the president.
On Thursday, he released an alternative handbook that he said would curb overspending in the Presidency. The alternative handbook “has been drafted in such a way as to remove any ambiguity, such as a swimming pool being charitably termed as a ‘firepool’ ”, he said.
“It seeks to avoid any future Nkandlas and blue light brigades, R4bn jets and bloated VIP protection services,” said Maimane.
A key flaw he identified in the current handbook, which was made public in November 2015, was that it described which department was liable for the president’s spending without setting crucial parameters.
The alternative handbook was a “comprehensive” document that dealt with remuneration, benefits, residences, transport, relinquishing of office and travel privileges.
One of its proposals is that the president and deputy president be required to disclose all business interests, as well as those of their families, in entities that conduct business with the national government.
In addition, the alternative handbook also proposes restricting such business interests in affected entities.
The DA also wants the financial interests of the president and the deputy president to be published in the Government Gazette annually.
It wants a cap on spousal support and limits imposed on security upgrades to their homes. The party proposes that the limit on security upgrades should be set at R1m.
Sej Motau, the DA spokesman on the Presidency, said the opposition party wanted a portfolio committee to be set up for the Presidency.
“This is how we ensure they [the Presidency] answer to the people of SA. It can’t be about extravagant and lavish lifestyles,” Motau said.
The DA would put pressure on Parliament to debate the matter.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said his party would deal with it when the DA tabled it in Parliament. The details of the handbook were determined by the executive, not Parliament, he said.
He disagreed that there was no oversight on the Presidency as there are portfolio committees to deal with monitoring and evaluation and women, which fall under the Presidency.