Jacob Zuma is in talks
to buy a £165m presidential jet, it was reported, just days after the South
African president warned of growing frustration among the country's poorest
over the government's failure to improve their lives.
The customised Boeing 777 plane seats 300 people and would cost $150m to buy and an additional $80m to be adapted to Mr Zuma's specifications.
The Department of
Defence, which oversees VIP transport, is reportedly considering spending an
additional $28m on a second private plane for Kgalema Motlanthe, the deputy
president.
Defence Secretary Sam
Makhudu Guluybe was on Friday visiting the United States
The newspaper said it
had documents which showed the defence department had negotiated a significant
reduction on the jet's original price of $305m after a deal between Boeing and
another buyer fell through.
The current presidential
jet, known as Inkwazi which means "fish eagle" in Mr Zuma's mother
tongue Zulu, was out of service for much of last year for upgrades and
maintenance.
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