The Gauteng provincial government would rent new offices in the Johannesburg CBD even though it owned 20 other properties in the same area, the Star newspaper reported on Thursday.

The Gauteng infrastructure department was looking for three sets of office space in the CBD, which was put to tender last month, according to the newspaper.

The department confirmed the offices would be a provision for the Gauteng provincial government and that the department owned the 20 vacant properties.

Department spokeswoman Ramona Baijnath said: “The [20] buildings are still under construction and far from completion.

“There are departments which immediately need space since their current leases have expired or are due to expire.” 

She said the department had stopped renovating some of the properties due to budget constraints.

One government property, a building next to the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, was being used for parking by the ANC, according to the newspaper.

The department confirmed it owned the property but did not know the African National Congress had taken it over.

Baijnath said the property’s use would be determined and the occupancy investigated.

The newspaper asked ANC spokesman Keith Khoza for a comment but said none was received.

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Sun May 19 10:29:10 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 6, 2012

Coldcurry

Why then does the government not sell the buildings to someone that can renovate and put then to good use? Government is not setting an good example in reposible spending and job creation. Irregular and fruitless expenditure is in the billions yearly in this country as well as unspent budgets and thats money that would be used to create jobs. Nobody is ever held accountable or face consequences
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Sep 6, 2012

Honeybadger

Government should not own property in the first place. Public Works has just been slow in disposing of some of the property however it remains a good move.
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Sep 6, 2012

cornelius

This is exactly why this country is failing. The don't have money to renovate, so they just waste more money to rent. Plus, the ANC uses government building for parking - what more proof do you need that the ANC makes no dictinction beteween itself and the government - using government resources and taxpayers money is so convenient isn't it ?
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Sep 7, 2012

Pointman

Do we all see the importance of a free press now. Would we have ever discovered that the ANC was getting free parking at our expense otherwise. They want to toll our own roads and increase electricity tariffs because they are inefficient.
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