Question NW2809 to the President of the Republic
19 September 2022 - NW2809
Steenhuisen, Mr JH to ask the President of the Republic
How does the Government justify spending almost R2 billion of the budget of the SA Police Service, which equates to about R8 million each year, to protect the Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other top-ranking politicians, whose generous salaries can comfortably cover their own armed response subscriptions, alarm installations and perimeter security, when 67 people are murdered and 153 people are raped in the Republic every day?
Reply:
Since the Interim Constitution came into effect in 1994, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been responsible for a national protection service.
The budget for the VIP protection services, which accounts for less than 2% of the total SAPS budget, includes:
- Provisioning of comprehensive protection to the President and Deputy President of the Republic, former Presidents and former Deputy Presidents, visiting Heads of State and spouses;
- Provisioning of comprehensive protection to 62 national dignitaries (28 Ministers, 34 Deputy Ministers, Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Chairperson of the NCOP, Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP) and 124 provincial dignitaries (9 Premiers, 9 Provincial Legislature Speakers, 9 Provincial Legislature Deputy Speakers and 87 MECs), as well as ad hoc and foreign dignitaries that visit South Africa;
- Provisioning of comprehensive protection to the Chief Justice, Former Chief Justice, Constitutional Courts Judges, Judge Presidents and President of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
It is a well-established principle in jurisdictions across the world that the state should provide adeuqate protection to officials whose personal safety may be at risk by virtue of the positions they occupy.