Mansions on stand-by for Ramaphosa and Mashatile – while taxpayers foot the R100 million bill

[Nat Quinn]

Mansions on stand-by for Ramaphosa and Mashatile – while taxpayers foot the R100 million bill

Since 2018, millions of taxpayers’ money have been spent on embellishing the state-owned luxury homes of the president and deputy president of South Africa – including around R62.7 million just on maintenance, which includes salaried staff on standby just in case they visit.

This is according to the minister of Public Works and Infrastructure in response to a parliamentary Q&A, who outlined the total amount spent by his department at each official residence for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile in Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria.

These residents are as follows:

• Genadendal Residence – President – situated in Groote Schuur estate in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

• Highstead Residence – Deputy President – situated in Groote Schuur estate in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

• JL Dube House – President and Deputy President – situated in Durban.

• Mahlamba Ndlomfpu Residence – President – situated in Bryntirion Estate, Pretoria.

• OR Tambo House – Deputy President – situated in Pretoria.

According to the minister’s response, the most money was spent on maintenance and cleaning at the Mahlamba Ndlomfpu Residence in Pretoria – amounting to roughly R29 million since 2018.

Mahlamba Ndlomfpu Residence, Pretoria. Source: IOL

Sources told the Sunday Times that this is also the one property that Ramaphosa occupies the most. The second highest amount of taxpayers’ money was spent on Mashatile’s OR Tambo House, costing R12 million since 2018.

Maintenance and cleaning at JL Dube House in Durdan cost around R9.8 million. Furthermore, an amount of R6.3 million was used to renovate the house when Ramaphosa assumed office. However, both the department and the Presidency have refused to disclose any information regarding the expenses, said the Sunday Times.

Regarding the two state-owned homes in Cape Town, the department noted that it receives a single account for both Ramaphosa and Mashatile’s homes in Groote Schuur estate – with maintenance and cleaning costs amounting to R5.6 million over the period.

The combined costs to renovate, maintain, and clean these five luxury homes cost the taxpayer a total of R62.7 million since 2018.

---

Hardly used and include a fleet of salaried staff

When you include these costs with those spent on water and electricity, and property taxes, the total amount taxpayers have forked out reaches R95.2 million over the past five years.

What’s worse is that sources said both Ramaphosa and Mashatile hardly use these state-owned houses but rather prefer their private luxury homes in Hyde Park in Johannesburg and Fresnaye in Cape Town, and Waterfall City in Midrand, respectively, reported the Sunday Times.

Despite the millions spent, Ramaphosa only uses them when there is a state visit and as an office rather than a place to live, said a source.

To make matters more outrageous, sources close to the presidency told the news outlet that the properties have salaried stuff on standby just in case they visit.

“The state houses have a full staff complement employed by the state to ensure that everything is in order for any potential meetings or visits. This includes preparing food and ensuring that all necessary arrangements are made to meet the needs of the individual in question.

“This is to ensure that just in case he goes there, he has everything he needs, and everything is in place. This means cleaners, helpers, chefs, gardeners, security and butlers are always available to serve a sitting head of state and the second in command, whether they occupy the state residences or not,” the source said.

The exact figures spent on the state homes of the President and Deputy President can be viewed in the documents attached below.

 

92182b68-364d-49d8-be4e-76ee892cc92d

 

SOURCE:Mansions on stand-by for Ramaphosa and Mashatile – while taxpayers foot the R100 million bill – BusinessTech

[Author]

Posts