In the media, South Africa's ex-President Jacob Zuma has long been portrayed as a man who lives beyond his means and who has difficulties reining in his excessive desires. A succession of media exposés have laid bare his massive debts, his sexual appetites, the financial burden of four (current) wives and 22 children accustomed to the high life (Sowetan Live 2016; Madisa 2016), and the family's tastes in expensive cars (Van Onselen 2012a). The media has also been fascinated by the presidential family's ‘big fat’ weddings and the close ties that Zuma has with the (extravagant) Swazi and Zulu royal houses (Huigen 2017).

Apart from his private extravagances, the ex-president was also profligate with the public purse while in office. By 2012, journalist Gareth van Onselen estimated that the state allowances for Jacob Zuma and his dependents were costing the taxpayer half a billion rand a year, significantly more than the amounts spent by the Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela presidencies. While much of the increase could be attributed to the size of Zuma's polygamous family, his presidency saw a significant increase in claims for VIP transport, luxury helicopter rides, large motorcades and top-line private cars. Similarly, his salary rocketed, making him one of the top ten best-paid politicians in the world (Van Onselen 2012a). During his presidency, the state was pressured to acquire a R4-billion presidential jet when his security detail had recommended a R150-million Boeing. Both his official and private residences were ‘upgraded’ far beyond the necessary security improvements. Zuma's official residences have reportedly been adorned with new chandeliers, sprawling dressing rooms, at least one sauna and a steam room (Steenkamp 2011). His private ‘compound’ in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, has seen the installation of a large swimming pool, a helipad, a visitors’ centre, a private military hospital, a parking lot and guest houses (Madonsela 2014). As the media pointed out, these expenditures were eight times more than what was spent on Mandela's two private homes and almost 18 times more than was spent on Mbeki's home (Pillay 2013). The Public Protector described it as ‘opulence on a grand scale’ (Madonsela 2014).