R12.2 million spent on Gauteng Premier's house

Luxury Bryanston property has been refurbished three times in six years

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An amount of R12.2 million has been spent on the Gauteng Premier’s official residence since it was bought in 2005.

This is revealed in written replies to questions from DA's Jack Bloom by Gauteng Infrastructure MEC Bheki Nkosi.

This house in the northern Johannesburg suburb of Bryanston has been refurbished three times in six years.

"Most of this seems utterly wasteful and very poor value for money," says Bloom.

• R8.4 million was spent under former premier Mbhazima Shilowa for renovations and alterations of the main house, conference facilities and the parking area.
• Although he never lived there, R1,745,000 was spent during Paul Mashatile’s short premiership supposedly to repair structural damage, although the department says that it does not have a copy of the consulting engineers’ report. 

According to Nkosi, this included repainting, replacement of stained carpets, various repairs, water proofing on roofs, and renovation of the conference centre.

"I think that we were ripped off with this contract, especially since R465,000 was paid in 'professional fees' to (a company that) simply outsourced the repair work," Bloom said.

• Last year, Premier Nomvula Mokonyane spent R2,072,000 on yet more refurbishment, including the main bedroom and kitchen, yet more repainting, and new furniture and curtains.

"It’s all quite obscene when ordinary people struggle in difficult economic circumstances," the DA's caucus leader commented.