While we all let out a national sigh of relief when former president Jacob Zuma left office, we forgot that ‘out of sight’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘out of taxpayers’ pockets’.

Former presidents are entitled to receive their salary post-presidency, along with a host of other benefits including but not limited to security and an official vehicle‚ an office and a secretary, free domestic flights on the national airline, and free medical and healthcare services.

If we look at the start of the 2016/17 financial year until present, more than R59 million was spent on former presidents and their deputies and it’s a bill footed by South African taxpayers.

TimesLIVE breaks it down:

The state has spent R5.6m on former president FW de Klerk, R6.7m on former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and R5.4m for former deputy president Baleka Mbete during the period under review.

Zuma became former president in February last year, and so far has cost the state R6.5m. What has been paid for Zuma’s travel and other expenses is almost equal to that spent on Mlambo-Ngcuka, and more than the amounts spent on De Klerk and Mbete.

The state spent R70,227 for travel and other expenses for Zuma and his spouses up to March 2018. This increased to just over R4m in the 2018/2019 financial year and R2.4m in the current financial year.

So who tops the list as the most expensive former president to date? You’re going to want to sit down for this one.

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe has cost South Africans close to R17m since the start of the 2016/17 financial year.

Remember him? He was president for five minutes between September 2008 and May 2009, after former president Thabo Mbeki was recalled.

Spending on travel, security and accommodation for former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe was the highest of all, at close to R17m.

…In its reply, the presidency said trips undertaken by Motlanthe totalled R4.7m since the start of the 2016/17 year, while R12.2m was spent on all other benefits due to him.

The presidency said the state had spent close to R14m on Mbeki’s travel and other expenses in the same period. Trips undertaken by Mbeki totalled about R3m during this period, while R10.2m was spent on all other benefits due to him and his spouse.

I haven’t thought about that guy in years.

We should be thinking about him, though, seeing as we pay for his lifestyle.

If only we could refuse to pay another cent towards Zuma, but sadly he still enjoys those perks.

[source:timeslive]