Thousands of people are expected to attend the inauguration of Jacob Zuma as the country’s president next Saturday, 24 May.
The inauguration will take place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The Cabinet says it has finalised preparations for the inauguration of the country’s president.
Government declined on Thursday to give the cost of President Zuma’s inauguration but said it would be cheaper than his first swearing-in five years ago.
Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane told reporters in Pretoria that less would be spent than in 2009 “because of austerity measures being implemented by Cabinet”.
The 2009 inauguration cost taxpayers R75 million.
The presidency would not disclose the number of foreign heads of state who had been invited to next weekend’s ceremony
Chabane’s statement contradicts media reports earlier in 2014 that were based on a parliamentary reply by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, in which he said some R120m had been set aside, across various state departments, for the event.
Gordhan said, in reply to a question from the Democratic Alliance, that the projected cost was higher than last time because more foreign dignitaries would be invited.
The international relations and co-operation department’s budget provided for hosting 40 dignitaries, double the number that flew to Pretoria five years ago.
Chabane would not disclose the number of foreign heads of state who had been invited to next weekend’s ceremony saying they would only be named next week once they had responded to the invitation.
He confirmed that all former South African presidents were invited, as was tradition, and said he hoped they would attend. Additional reporting by Sapa
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