The new South African Rand

It’s quite fascinating to note, that the inauguration party alone of our new president will cost R 75m. This excludes any ancillary spendingby police or security agencies, government communications, the Presidency or any other department on the event. While the United States had every reason to host the Obama inauguration as a global event, I don’t see the need to waste unnecessary funds (after all, you could easily provide 500 DRP houses or improve medical facilities across the country).

Makes you wonder why there is no money available to fix our broken roads.

Ex-president Thabo Mbeki’s second inauguration in 2004 probably cost about the same, while his 1999 inauguration cost Foreign Affairs R43,3-million. Good thing we are not copying the US, where the total cost for the inauguration of Obama cost USD 170m and for Bush USD 40m.

BTW: If I had the misfortune to be president, there would be no inauguration. Some ceremony in parliament during a break in a normal session and that’s it. Then, off to work with everyone. No time to waste. And how the hell do you, as a politician, party if your people are suffering? They elected you to improve their lives, FFS.