You’re a VIP only when it comes to paying tax

IT’S election time and those playing the politics game are out to make their opponents look bad. But, every once in a while, the game unearths something of value.

Recently, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was able to reveal that the cost of protecting a single Very Important Person (VIP) was R8 million in the current financial year.

According to information provided to the DA by Bheki Cele, our minister of police, there are 209 people receiving this protection. That costs us tax paying folk about R1.7 billion for the year.

These so-called VIPs include ministers, premiers, MECs, members of the judiciary and political persons of interest.

Business people and ordinary workers are not VIPs even though it is their efforts that bring in the taxes the government uses to pay for this security.

The money that goes to the SAPS does not make us safe. Instead, ordinary citizens are forced to use their after-tax rands to try and stay alive.

Middle class homes often pay for some sort of police unit in their city or town. Over and above this, they will pay to install an alarm in their home and business and then fork out even more to ensure someone with a gun rocks up if the alarm is triggered.

More recently, town houses and estates have employed guards while those still living in free standing houses have guards patrolling their streets.

When the people who fund government are so vulnerable, it is morally wrong for those in government to be so lavish.