The Democratic Alliance (DA) clarified on Wednesday what it termed “misleading statements” by ActionSA, which it said sought to create public outrage about the official vehicles used by Minister of Agriculture and DA leader John Steenhuisen.

On Tuesday ActionSA Parliamentary leader Dereleen James stated that Steenhuisen uses multiple blue-light luxury SUVs, including an Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Toyota Prado, each with a purchase price conservatively exceeding R1-million.

DA National Spokesperson Willie Aucamp said the claims are “untrue and damage the credibility” of its leaders.

“The facts, however, paint a different story and are worth setting out as they expose the disingenuous agenda of those who have leapt on the bandwagon of sensationalism as well as the hypocrisy of ActionSA,” Aucamp stated.

He said Steenhuisen uses a 6-year-old Audi A7 inherited from the previous Minister Thoko Didiza with about 135 000 kilometres on the clock and a 7-year-old Toyota Prado with about 230 000 kilometres on the clock inherited from the erstwhile Minister Senzeni Zokwana.

He added that the “desperate lies” about the vehicles minister Steenhuisen travels in, distract from the work the Government of National Unity is doing to help the country's agriculture sector.

Aucamp pointed out that all ministerial vehicles for DA cabinet ministers are inherited from the previous administration and the acquisition of new vehicles has been strictly blocked by the DA ministers themselves.

“Similarly, while all inherited vehicles are equipped with blue lights, DA Ministers have made it clear that the blue lights in their official vehicles will not be used under any circumstances.

“The DA believes that no Minister has the privilege to travel by means of blue light convoys which disrupt traffic and grant Ministers the unwarranted luxury to not plan their travel and appointments wisely” Aucamp said.

“As these vehicles are not the personal vehicles of the minister, they are specified by government legislation and handbook and as both vehicles had been used by former ministers, they were both already specified with security features, the so-called ‘blue lights’. This is standard across all executive vehicles, including those utilised by provincial and local government executives,” Aucamp said.

He accused ActionSA of being hypocrites, claiming that City of Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya has two luxury BMW vehicles fitted with security features for her official duties.

Aucamp also pointed to ActionSA’s City of Johannesburg Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu, who he says has two luxury BMW vehicles with security features that she utilises for official duties.

“Surely if this was principled stand instead of a puerile political stunt, ActionSA would have rather chosen to lead by example and force their executive office bearers to eschew the tools of trade utilised by executive members,” he stated.