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GOVT’S E3.2M FORTUNER RENTALS FOR MINISTERS

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MBABANE – Government will spend over E3.2 million on vehicles for the new ministers despite the so-called financial crisis.


Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, is renting 12 Toyota Fortuner Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for the ministers.
The vehicles leased by government from Woodford Car Hire in Mbabane, were first seen during the swearing-in ceremony of the legislators held at the Cabinet offices at Hospital Hill. The ceremony was held on November 6, 2018. At a daily rate, without discount, the vehicles cost E4 900; however, given that they were rented in bulk for a longer period, their daily rate was discounted to E3 000.


Circular


According to impeccable sources, the vehicles were leased to government on November 3, 2018 and are anticipated to be with the ministry for an undisclosed period pending the finalisation of the circular that will determine the remuneration for politicians. It is expected that the cars will be rented for at least three months, following that the term of office for the Royal Commission, which is responsible for coming up with the new perks and remuneration for the 11th Parliament, was extended to the end of January 2019.


Noting the date they were leased, for the month of November 2018, government will pay E1 008 000. This is because they will be with government for 28 days this month. Per day, government will be paying E36 000 for all 12 vehicles. The next two months will cost the taxpayer E1 116 000 apiece. Each month is 31 days.


With the total figure of E3.24 million at the end of January 2019, government would have been able to purchase at least seven of the same vehicles. According to a sales agent in one of the car dealerships in the capital city, a 2.4 Diesel Toyota Fortuner retails at about E486 000 and after discount it costs E460 000.


When the money to be paid to the car dealership that leased the vehicles to government is tallied up in the three months, it shall cost government E3.24 million. The vehicles were leased despite the fact that in 2013, government bought 32 Chevrolet Trailblazers among its fleet of 611 vehicles. The tender for the procurement of the vehicles was set at E400 million.


The 32 Chevrolet Trailblazers were shared by the 18 ministries and office of the deputy prime minister. Among the ministries, also the security forces benefitted as some were used by high ranking security personnel.
Later, government procurement BMW X5 SUVs for ministers.


The BMW X5s were purchased in 2014 as per the dictates of Finance Circular No.2 of 2013.
The circular stated that ministers and presiding officers were to be afforded SUVs benchmarked at E800 000 per legislator.


The value of the vehicles allocated to the politicians is in contrast to what other emerging economies afford their politicians. In India, ministers drive vehicles that can be afforded by civil servants. However, locally, the opulence exuded by the politicians is in direct contrast to the so-called financial crisis experienced by the country.

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