Public works to go after officials who left state-owned homes in ‘dreadful state’

The department of public works and infrastructure intends to lay criminal charges and recover items stolen from properties in the Prestige Unit, some of which were left in a “dreadful state” and in one instance, used to run a taxi business.

The department earlier this week revealed that, shortly after minister Dean Macpherson took office, startling revelations were made about the condition of some of the properties.

The unit owns 97 state homes valued at about R830m in Cape Town and R137m in Pretoria, according to spokesperson James de Villiers.

“One of the problems was some non-returning ministers or deputy ministers refusing to vacate their properties or delaying vacating their properties and some properties being left in a dreadful state after they were vacated, including kitchen cabinets being removed, carpets damaged or taken and graffiti left on walls,” he said.

“In one instance, a taxi business was being run from a property.

“Issues were also encountered in terms of outstanding debt for utilities which were owed to the department.

“This is why the minister is working to amend the lease agreements entered with ministers and deputy ministers when they take occupation of state houses to acknowledge the state of the properties before they took occupation and ensure that the properties are returned in a similar state when they vacate the properties.”

To remedy this, Macpherson has instituted a reform in governance of the unit, which will now see the director-general have “direct oversight of its activities”.

The minister has also removed “the delegations which empowered state officials to spend up to R20m without accounting officer approval,” De Villiers said.

“The minister is clear that people can’t be allowed to casually walk off with assets of the state, or vandalise state property, without any consequences. The minister would like to introduce a culture of pride in the assets of the state.”

The culprits have not been publicly named.

“The department is engaging with the non-returning members to return assets which were reportedly taken or to account for them, or to repair damages which have been encountered. We cannot disclose who the members are while we allow them an opportunity to respond.”

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