Gauteng premier house costs taxpayers R1.5 million annually – and he doesn’t even live there

·14 Mar 2016

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has questioned the R1.5 million annual running cost of the Gauteng State House in Bryanston, when the premier, David Makhura, no longer even resides there.

Makhura said in a written reply to questions posed by the DA in the Gauteng Legislature last week, that the residence was used for about 50 meetings in 2015 – an average cost of about R30,000 a meeting.

“The House is utilised principally for official business wherein the Premier engages with various sectors, stakeholders, departments, municipalities and foreign missions,” Makhura said.

When asked for costs and the details of the events at the house, the premier said: “there is really no need to provide such details” and “the cost for all official meetings is budgeted for by the office of the premier”.

According to Jack Bloom, DA Member of the Oversight Committee on the Premier’s Office and Legislature, the DA knows from previous official replies that annual costs of this house include the following:

Gardening – R309,000
Cleaning – R300,000
Water and lights – R227,000
Rates and taxes – R195,000

“The total yearly cost together with the R500,000 maintenance cost in the latest budget means that this house costs at least R1.5 million a year,” Bloom said.

The DA suggested that a more cost-effective measure would be for the premier to use the province-owned Emoyeni conference centre or a private venue.

The DA pointed out that R4.2 million was spent on the house since May 2014 when Premier Makhura took the decision not to live there.

“More than R20 million has been spent on its upkeep, including many refurbishments and repairs, since it was bought in March 2004 for R11.5 million for the use of then-Premier Mbhazima Shilowa,” Bloom said.

Makhura said in his reply that “the future of this house will be considered, together with all non-core assets and fixed properties owned by the Gauteng government.”