Over R160 million in extra time pay was spent on the protectors of President Cyril Ramaphosa, his deputy Paul Mashatile and different high-ranking South African politicians within the 2023-2024 monetary yr.

This was revealed by Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu final week, answering a query posed by Rise Mzansi member of Parliament Makashule Gana.

And this quantity was a lower on the previous monetary yr’s determine. In 2022-2023, members of the South African Police Service’s (SAPS’) VIP Protection Unit raked in slightly below R200 million.

“The total amount in overtime that the SA Police Service paid to VIP Protection officers for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 financial years is R198,045,844 and R161,885,074, respectively,” answered Mchunu.

The minister additionally added that 100 hours was the utmost extra time permitted per thirty days.

“All close protection officers are claiming the same number of hours for overtime, per month, which is 100 hours, due to the extraordinary working hours.”

R2 billion for VIP protectors, R1.5 billion for ladies and kids

These enormous quantities have been put ahead by Mchunu two months after he confronted backlash over the R2 billion put aside for the VIP Protection Unit within the police funds he tabled in July 2024; R113.6 billion in complete for the 2024-2025 monetary yr.

The complete allocation for the safety and safety companies programme was R4 billion.

This means politicians’ protectors would obtain more cash than the Family Violence and Child Protection Unit, which was was allotted R1.485 billion. As the identify signifies, this unit fights gender-based violence and crimes in opposition to kids.

When the funds was tabled and handed, Gana highlighted that the police as a complete have been underfunded, whereas politicians’ VIP protectors stored getting more cash from the fiscus.

“We aren’t protected, you might be additionally not protected, that’s why you have got safety 24 hours, however South Africans are left to fend for themselves. There are extra cops exterior this Parliament than there are in police stations. Why can we need to spend R4 billion to guard politicians? Do we’d like so many bodyguards?

“When South Africans call the police, they are told that there are no vehicles. Is this fair? You are actually saying politicians are unequal to normal South Africans. Please cut the fat from protection services, politicians are not more important than ordinary South Africans,” Gana said in July.

Violent VIP bodyguards

And the VIP Protection Unit shouldn’t be with out scandal.

Last yr, Mashatile’s bodyguards have been caught on digicam assaulting a motorist and another person on the N1 freeway in Johannesburg, whereas brandishing weapons.

Then-minister of police Bheki Cele later claimed – with out offering any proof – that Mashatile was not on the scene and his automobile had pushed forward of the VIP convoy.

The VIP protector – who have been later suspended by the SAPS – are at present in court docket going through fees of assault, pointing of a firearm, trying to defeat the ends of justice and negligent driving.

Do you assume South African politicians are over-protected?

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