# Hundreds of millions budgeted to spruce up politicians’ houses, government buildings

- Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/2020/06/11/hundreds-of-millions-budgeted-to-spruce-up-politicians-houses-government-buildings/
- Published: 2020-06-11T16:22:09+02:00
- Author: dearSA

![](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20191027/Screenshot-
2020-06-11T161819.657.png "Screenshot - 2020-06-11T161819.657")

The government is planning to spend a whopping R423m on renovating the official 
homes and offices of SA’s senior public office bearers.

Public works and infrastructure minister Patricia de Lille revealed in a written
reply to a parliamentary question by DA MP Tim Brauteseth that R423,741,621 has 
been set aside for the government’s so-called prestige projects for the 2020/21 
financial year.

De Lille’s document reveals that R203m of the budgeted amount will be spent on facilities
management for the Union Buildings and presidency facilities in Pretoria.

About R135m is set aside for numerous projects in the parliamentary precinct, including
structural repairs to a part of the Old Assembly building, upgrading of security
systems, refurbishment of ministerial offices and replacement of kitchen equipment,
including construction work in kitchens.

Some of the projects in parliament have been completed while others will be completed
in the next few months.

The Groote Schuur Estate in Rondebosch, Cape Town, will get a “total upgrading of
its civil infrastructure and electrical installation”. De Lille said they have budgeted
R48m for this, while almost R16m has been set aside for refurbishment of roads and
parking at the Bryntirion presidential estate.

A further R40m will be spent on routine and sustainable maintenance and minor upgrades
to residential units in the three parliamentary villages in Cape Town. Another R54m
has been set aside to provide integrated facilities management services for five
years in the parliamentary villages and for official residential accommodation.

De Lille explained that this was the current facilities management contract that
will expire on September 30 2020.

A similar amount [R54m] is budgeted for similar integrated facilities management
services for five years but this time the contract pertains to providing these integrated
facilities management services for the parliamentary complex and for official office
accommodation. That management contract also ends on September 30 2020. A further
R26m has been set aside for a new facilities management contract that will kick 
in when the old one ends in September.

The residences of sessional officials in the three parliamentary villages were refurbished
to the tune of R300,000. De Lille said this project has been completed.

The minister’s response shows that tens of millions more will be spent on the parliamentary
precinct, including on structural repairs to the Old Assembly building area, repairing
cracks, water proofing, repairs to walls and removing of shelving to the archives
and to carry out external work. This will come at a cost of R15m.

The department told parliament last month that its spending focus over the next 
three years will be on developing and reviewing policies for the prestige accommodation
portfolio in line with the ministerial handbook, improving the delivery of services
to “prestige” clients with regard to the provision of both movable and immovable
assets as well as meeting the protocol responsibilities for state functions.

“While it may be argued that some of this expenditure is essential maintenance, 
the DA believes that in a Covid-19 crisis when the health services are faltering
under immense pressure and the economy is plummeting, such expenditure is incredibly
irresponsible,” said Brauteseth on Wednesday.

He called for all available, non-essential expenditure to be directed towards caring
for the lives and livelihoods of all South Africans, not projects concerning government
installations which are only being used by a greatly reduced percentage of their
occupants, especially during the lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic.

Article by [Sowetan Live](https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-06-10-hundreds-of-millions-budgeted-to-spruce-up-politicians-houses-government-buildings/)