Government

A shocking number of South African ministers are behind on their rent

Staff Writer

 ·19 Nov 2019

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure says that 43 past and returning government ministers are currently in arrears with rental payments on their ministerial houses.

Responding in a recent parliamentary Q&A session, minister of Public Works Patricia De Lille said that letters for payment arrangements have been sent to these ministers, but that a large number have still not paid.

She added that if arrangements are not made and payments have not been received the account will be handed over to the state attorney for debt collection.

While De Lille did not provide the names of the ministers and deputy ministers in arrears, she did provide a list of the amounts owed by each individual, with the total outstanding amount coming to just over R1.3 million.

You can find this complete list of amounts owed outlined below.

These homes are typically provided to ministers alongside other perks such as security features, domestic workers and even DStv in terms of government’s ministerial handbook.

However, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has recently indicated that it is looking to drastically cut these perks as part of ongoing cost-saving measures.

The DPSA said that the revisions form part of the new ‘Guide for the Members of the Executive’ which replaced the old Ministerial Handbook in June 2019.

“On 16 October 2019, the Guide was presented to Cabinet and a revised document is being finalised for presentation to the President before the end of the week,” it said.

“Once the Guide for Members of the Executive is approved by the President, it will be made publicly available.”

The DPSA said that some of the main areas relating to the review include:

• Reduced staffing in ministerial offices;
• The amount that members of the executive are allowed to spend on vehicles (capped at R700,000);
• All domestic travel will be on economy class tickets;
• There will no longer be payment for subsistence and travel for both domestic and international trips on these levels;
• Reduced costs associated with the occupation of State-owned Residences;
• Reduced security upgrades at private residences;
• Reduced domestic Services at official residence;
• A new cell phone dispensation that will cap the amount claimable from the state;
• Reduced benefits to members upon relinquishing office.

Read: Cabinet ministers to be hit with pay freeze and reduced benefits