Cabinet Minister's braai area gets R700,000 revamp using your tax rands

19 November 2017 - 00:04 By BABALO NDENZE

Taxpayers have forked out almost R700,000 to build a braai area for a cabinet minister. It's part of multimillion-rand spending spree to keep members of President Jacob Zuma's executive in the comfort they have become accustomed to.
None of the MPs, including those of the main opposition parties, disapproved of the spending when it was tabled in parliament, although the amounts were discovered only later.
Details are in a Public Works Department report tabled in parliament this week. These reveal that the government will spend R48-million on new houses for six ministers, at R8-million a house, in Cape Town.
The report was "quickly" presented to the portfolio committee this week and its contents were not discussed by MPs.
No details were available on the braai area.Bassie Kgasoane, the chief director of prestige property at public works, said his department spent R675,911 on the braai.
"Plans differ from house to house but then you find ... you want to standardise facilities like your swimming pools," he said.
A former public works employee who previously dealt with houses for ministers and officials said ministers tended to make outrageous and costly requests.
"These guys are full of demands. We once had to hire space somewhere because one minister's clothes could not fit into his wardrobe when he moved in," said the official who asked not to be named.
Those involved in government construction said the spending on the unknown minister's braai was exorbitant. They claimed that R675,911 was enough to build at least 11 two-bedroom RDP houses.
These revelations come as the public purse is shrinking amid a declining economy, with the government scrambling to find money to fund other priorities like the proposed provision of free tertiary education.
One of the houses to be procured has been earmarked for Deputy Minister of Economic Development Madala Masuku.
He has been living in a rented house in Cape Town since his appointment in 2014...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.