Yoh. There’s nothing like announcing your country’s departure from the ICC and beefing up on your personal security to make others a little bit afraid over the future of this country.

President Jacob Zuma’s motorcade now consists of more than 20 vehicles and motorcycles, after he added members of the police’s special task force, as well as heavily armed soldiers, to his personal security team.

Of course, this indicates that the officers responsible for his safety are becoming increasingly concerned about his safety. Over to News24:

According to our sister newspaper Rapport’s information, there was a meeting at Waterkloof Air Force Base two weeks ago, where the new safety measures for the president were discussed.

An informed source close to the discussion said one of the issues was that four extra task force members and their weapons had to accompany Zuma on flights – in addition to his usual contingent of bodyguards.

This significant amount of weapons and ammunition creates a problem because international aviation regulations stipulate that weapons and ammunition have to be kept apart on international flights.

Guards therefore have to hand in their weapons’ magazines to the pilots, while their weapons are locked up separately.

The unpractical nature of this arrangement has meant two teams of task force members have had to be responsible for the president’s safety – one team that takes him to his plane and another that meets him after he has landed.

Informed sources say the protection measures are also applicable to Nkandla where the president spends most of his weekends.

This is far more security than any previous head of state has ever required. It includes a medical van and a separate vehicle for Zuma’s personal military medic. The unit is responsible for the protection of the president, deputy president, ministers and other “important persons”.

Just sounds like money wasted on someone who has already bled the state dry.

[source:news24]