"Enough is enough," said the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is working on introducing a "cut the Cabinet perks bill" in Parliament to challenge the legitimacy of the Ministerial Handbook and luxurious treatment offered "secretly" to Cabinet members. 

On Monday, party leaders and supporters picketed outside the Bryntirion estate, the ministerial estate, in Tshwane against what they termed "rockstar" ministers. 

Party leader John Steenhuisen, Gauteng provincial leader Solly Msimanga, public service and administration spokesperson Leon Schreiber and social development spokesperson Bridget Masango were present at the picket.

The DA has been vocal about the whopping R1-billion spent on state-owned residences occupied by ministers and deputy ministers.

In February, the party asked the Office of the Public Protector to investigate the luxurious living of the ministers. 

News24 previously reported Schreiber said "no less than 97 mansions are currently occupied" in Cape Town and Pretoria at an estimated cost of R10-million each.

This is after the DA submitted a parliamentary question to former public works minister Patricia de Lille who disclosed the department spent R2.6-million on generators for ministerial houses.

According to the Ministerial Handbook, Cabinet members are entitled to the houses, VIP security, travel perks, and four luxury vehicles.

Speaking at the picket, Schreiber said the party was working on a "cut the Cabinets perks bill" that would force President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce changes in the perks currently enjoyed by ministers and deputy ministers.

He told News24 the DA had already published its intentions to introduce the bill and called for public comment.

"If you are in support of the DA's work on this to actually reduce the luxury lifestyle of these rockstar ministers, then please do add your voice in support of this bill."

The party is currently finalising a draft of the bill, said Schreiber, who outlined it would be submitted to the Public Service and Administration Committee and then Parliament.

He added "if the bill passed, for the very first time, we will end the practice of the Ministerial Handbook and the secret changes that are often made to it".

"Last year, the president secretly added more free perks in terms of electricity and water, and it was only after a public outcry that it was changed. We hope to use this bill to stop that practice."

The DA will also file a complaint to acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka about the legibility of the handbook.

Schreiber said there was no law that permitted Ramaphosa to grant these perks, adding "it is a convention that the president grants these perks, in secret, but there is actually no law, which means the handbook may be illegal".

Msimanga, who also addressed the crowd, called the Cabinet a "pension society of some kind" and said the African National Congress (ANC) government was not delivering and leading the country to the ground. 

He referred to the book, Animal Farm, by George Orwell "where other animals are more equal than others. If you want to know that, go in here [estate]. I have been in here, right here there is a tennis court, there is a basketball court down there, there's swimming pools in here".

"There are gardens that are manicured. There is South African Police Services that is patrolling this area. You call the police when you are at home. [If you] call the 10111 number; you are lucky to get through; they have police 24/7 walking around them," Msimanga said.

He added "they [the ANC] know they are not doing anything concrete to turn the people's lives around; that's why I am saying they hate the poor and they hate the blacks".

Ending the picket Steenhuisen, addressed Ramaphosa and the ANC's failures.

"It's been too long with a president who treats his job as some side hustle to his farming operation, and it's been too long with ministers who don't understand how to do their job and who have failed at every single metro." 

He ended his speech by chanting, "ANC out, DA in!" which the crowd enthusiastically repeated.