South Africans haven’t yet gotten over President Jacob Zuma’s personal fire pool and now it’s emerged that R8-million in public funds has been used to renovate the official residence of the Free State premier Ace Magashule.

According to the M&G, the hefty price tag included largely aesthetic renovations like landscaping, a new fence and a new pool house – complete with entertainment facilities, a committee room, a dining room, lounge, kitchen and a bathroom. Or as us plebs refer to it – a whole other house.

Magashule, who has courted controversy with Free State cabinet elections and reshuffles as well as a slew of communications deals with the Letlaka Group, apparently needed the renovations to the swimming pool for some very serious reasons.

“The pool was large and unnecessarily deep, which meant it hardly heated up in the summer and was difficult for the premier to use as he has small children,” said Sam Mashinini, the MEC for public works.

I think we can safely assume that the renovations went swimmingly.