Zwelinzima Vavi, the man who called on president President Jacob Zuma to introduce a lifestyle audit, says his own life is available for audit.
“I want to lead by example. I have nothing to hide,” Vavi said.
Vavi earns R42 000 a month and takes home about R27 000.
He pays R10 000 a month on the bond towards his Morningside, Sandton, house, which he moved into last year.
According to Cipro, the house cost R2.9 million and has a bond of R2-m.
“I would not have been able to buy this house on my own, but it was combined income from me and my wife,” he said.
Vavi also gets a housing subsidy from Cosatu.
Vavi drives an Audi A6, which Cosatu bought for him about four years ago, and has no intention of changing his car anytime soon.
Independent Newspapers found that Vavi is a director of Cosatu-linked Cubah Properties (Pty) Ltd, and non-profit organisations the Chris Hani Institute and 2010 Fifa World Cup Organising Committee South Africa.
He gets an additional income of R8 000 a month from the World Cup committee.
Vavi laughed when asked about designer clothing.
“I don’t wear labels; I wear African shirts and union attire. “I don’t want to arrive wearing a suit in a union meeting. “I have a sense for occasion. To functions like the Budget speech and the opening of Parliament, I wear suits.”
At the opening of Parliament he wore a suit that cost about R3 000
He has accounts at clothing chains Edgars and Truworths.
He has about five expensive suits that he received as gifts from the World Cup committee.
Vavi had to check in his wardrobe to find out who designed those suits.
“They are Etienne Aigner, but I don’t know how much they cost.” Vavi said the principle for Cosatu was that ministers should submit to a lifestyle audit.
“You will see the difference between a union salary and a minister’s salary. But ministers’ salaries are relatively modest when compared with those of the CEOs who are doing heinous crime against the economy.”
Vavi said he didn’t own a holiday property, but owns another house that was bought in 1995, together with his first wife, for R150 000.
His son attends a former Model C school in Kempton Park, and he pays about R300 a month in fees.
Source: www.pretorianews.co.za, 20100222
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