Mahlangu spent more on security than any other Gauteng MEC

09 November 2017 - 17:07 By Katharine Child
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Former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, on whose watch mental health patients were left to die.
Former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, on whose watch mental health patients were left to die.
Image: KEVIN SUTHERLAND

Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu‚ who was behind the Life Esidimeni saga‚ still owes the Gauteng government for the security upgrades on her private large Bedfordview home.

DA provincial spokesman on health Jack Bloom has discovered she used taxpayers’ money on her security upgrades and in total has spent R356‚558 since 2009.

Between 2009 and 2014 she spent R104‚000. In 2014 under Premier David Makhura‚ she claimed more than R252‚558 for security upgrades‚ but was only allowed to spend R200‚000 in terms of legislation.

She is required by Makhura to pay back the R52‚558 difference. Bloom states‚ according to his information provided in a written answer in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature‚ she has not paid back the money.

Bloom says he will monitor that she does so.

Out of all Gauteng MECs‚ Mahlangu spent the most taxpayers' money on security upgrades on her house between May 2014 and February 2017 this year. Many MECs spent none at all and some like Barbara Creecy spends R415 a month on armed response.

Mahlangu is also the only Gauteng MEC who has had security guard services at her house between 2014 and February 2017‚ provided by the government at a cost of R8‚000 a month.

While she is no longer living there‚ TimesLIVE has visited the home that is listed as belonging to Mahlangu according to the Deeds Office. It noted she has two security guards working at it. One sits in a guard hut that is an external part of the house. The other appeared to be working for the whole street‚ but the reporter noted he took a dog from what is believed to be Mahlangu's home on a walk.

It is not clear who pays for security now.

Her Bedfordview homes cost R3.6-million in 2011 when it was bought.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature answer sent to Bloom states that "all the MECs and former MECs whose security upgrades exceeded the R200‚000 limit - Qedani Mahlangu‚ Molebatsi Bopape and Nandi Mayathula-Khoza - have been notified in writing by the Premier about how much they have to pay back within a specified time frame".

But some of these people queried the amounts they need to pay and this is being verified by auditors‚ a process that ended last month.

Mahlangu was awaiting the outcome of the verification process by auditors‚ according to the answer.

At a total of R356‚558‚ Bloom says he finds "it suspicious that so much was spent on the house".

This is apparently because: "Security upgrades were done in line with the treat and risk assessment carried out by the SA Police Service."

Bloom states that: "She is currently ducking her obligation to appear before the Esidimeni arbitration hearings and I hope she doesn't try to avoid paying the money she owes to the provincial government."

Mahlangu is in London and has been suspended from the Global Banking School‚ according to a letter written by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire‚ Bill Rammell.

The suspension is due to the severity of the allegations against her at the Life Esidimeni hearings.

Her lawyer Angelo Christophorou told TimesLIVE Mahlangu "has at all material times tendered to attend the arbitration".

 

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