No more new houses or offices for ministers and their deputies

New Minister of Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson has moved to limit the luxury lives of Cabinet ministers.

Tightening the screws on funds being spent unnecessarily, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure will not be procuring any new houses or offices for the executives.

While Macpherson is at the helm, the existing inventory of homes will be used to house parliamentarians and “no requests for new procurement will be entertained”.

“Tight fiscal position”

Macpherson is said to have already met with his deputy Sihle Zikalala and Director-General Sifiso Mdakane before the declaration.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) have long identified the homes of ministers as an area for financial improvement.  

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Macpherson’s predecessor, Patricia de Lille, was pushed by the DA to reveal the value of minister’s homes across the country.

In a February 2023 response to questions, De Lille revealed that the properties housing ministers averaged roughly R10 million each.

Between the two political hubs of the nation, 58 executives occupied homes worth a collective R830 million in Cape Town, while 39 ministers and deputies had homes reaching a collective value of R137 million.

No upgrades to furnishings

As well procurement ban extending to offices for ministers, no aesthetic upgrades or improvements to furniture will be done.  

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“We will not rent or lease any accommodation or office space. Those days are over. The tight fiscal position of the state is a paramount consideration for this decision,” stated Macpherson.

“We have listened to the message of the citizens about being prudent with the public purse, to cut down on perks and invest more in creating jobs and growing the economy,” he added

Concluding, he said, “My number one priority is to invest in infrastructure and turn South Africa into a massive construction site under the theme #LetsBuildSA.”

Unused government properties

In another set of questions answered by De Lille in Jun 2022, she stated the government owned 3,742 properties which have all been standing vacant.

It is unclear how many are still unoccupied but some had been empty for up to 10 years.

De Lille stated that R15.2 million was being spent per year on private security for these properties, which ranged from administrative buildings to residential homes.  

Samantha Graham-Mare, then Shadow Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, said at the time, “Despite these exorbitant amounts, the vacant properties are being vandalised, unlawfully occupied and used for various nefarious purposes.”