About that R53 000 Curtain Rail!

Dear Editor

New information obtained by the Democratic Alliance (DA) through parliamentary questions reveals that, over a period of two years, the ANC government spent R93 million on maintaining the 97 mansions, valued at nearly R1 billion, occupied by its Ministers and Deputy Ministers in Pretoria and Cape Town. The DA is submitting a complaint to the Public Protector to investigate what appears to be brazen corruption and tender inflation in the maintenance of Ministerial Mansions.

This means that the government spent an average of nearly R1 million on each mansion in just two years. The expenses incurred were for renovations, repairs, municipal rates, and services including free water and electricity.

Many of the expenses bear tell-tale signs of massive tender corruption. At one house in Cape Town, the kitchen was renovated at a cost of over R1.4 million. For an ANC cadre housed in Albert Street, Waterkloof, the State paid over R240 000 to fumigate cockroaches – charged through three different invoices. The replacement of a fallen curtain rail at a house in Johann Rissik Drive in Waterkloof Ridge cost R54 000. And the replacement of light bulbs at a ministerial mansion located in Clark Street in Waterkloof cost over R19 000.

While these appear to be clear cut cases of tender inflation, it does at least finally answer the question of how many Rands it takes for ANC cadres to replace a lightbulb.

Generators to exempt Ministers from loadshedding

One of the biggest components of the R50 million spent on maintenance at ministerial mansions in Pretoria and Cape Town was to make sure that ANC cadres are protected from loadshedding. While South Africans suffer under stage 6 load shedding, the same Ministers and Deputy Ministers who caused this crisis are completely insulated from its consequences. The information obtained by the DA shows that, over the past two years, the ANC government used taxpayers’ money to “refill diesel generators,” “service generators” or “repair generators” at ministerial homes at least 297 different times. On one occasion, the ANC spent nearly half a million Rand to install a generator at a ministerial house in Moreleta Park.

These expenses also have clear marks of possible corruption, with the State routinely spending over R25 000 to “refill” a generator.

Swimming pools and air conditioners

On at least 388 different occasions, taxpayers were forced to cough up for upgrades and repairs to swimming pools at ministerial mansions. This was the single most common maintenance expense to ensure that ANC cadres can cool-off in the pool after a long day of looting.

Once cadres had done some laps in the lap of luxury, they are further kept cool by air conditioners courtesy of the people of South Africa. On at least 90 different occasions, taxpayers’ money was used to install, fix and maintain air conditioners.

While South Africans suffer under some of the world’s highest rates of violent crime, the ANC spared no expense to keep themselves safe, spending over R191 000 to fix a broken camera on one occasion. Electric fences at ministerial mansions also often cost R25 000 to service. On at least 84 occasions over the past two years, the people of South Africa paid to fix electric fences for members of Cyril Ramaphosa’s executive.

Free water, electricity and municipal rates

The remainder – over R43 million – was spent on paying for property rates, refuse removal, water and electricity at the 97 mansions.

The DA is reporting these severely inflated expenses to the Public Protector. It appears that ANC cadres are even using the luxury mansions where they live like Rockstars to commit tender corruption. We have also already tabled the Cut Cabinet Perks Bill in Parliament, which will bring transparency and oversight to the process of including benefits in the Ministerial Handbook. These perks cost South Africans over R1 billion per year. Our country simply cannot afford to keep paying for the luxury lifestyles of Ministers who live like Rockstars, while loadshedding, unemployment and poverty are at crisis levels.

Regards

Dr Leon Schreiber MP
DA Shadow Minister for Public Service and Administration