In addition to the bodyguards, the politicians will receive 40 cars from the fleet of the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department, which is meant to control traffic, enforce by-laws and assist in crime prevention.

The ANC-EFF coalition with minor parties in the City of Johannesburg is spending more on VIP bodyguards than any other city in South Africa, even as its finances are in trouble.

The coalition government has adjusted its budget from R83-billion to R76-billion as declining revenue harms services -- but the council's last meeting approved a spending splurge for city bigwigs.

Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda of the three-seat Al Jama-ah party will have 10 bodyguards from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) and eight cars from its fleet allocated to him.

The Speaker, Margaret Arnolds, from the two-seat African Independent Congress party, will have eight bodyguards and a convoy of five cars allocated to her.

By comparison, Joburg's former mayor Mpho Phalatse had just three bodyguards, while Cape Town's mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has four.

However, the city says that it must protect its office bearers and that allocating VIP guards will not harm its plans to improve services. (See its complete response below.)

The ANC caucus leader and power behind the throne, Dada Morero, gets five bodyguards and a convoy of two cars as the MMC for finance. He has overseen the rapid decline of the city's finances as the inefficient...