R854 per taxpayer to pay for overseas officials – and government wants more

Over the past seven years, the South African government has spent an astonishing R6.3 billion renting offices and residences for officials stationed abroad.

This figure, disclosed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation during a recent parliamentary Q&A session, translates to a personal contribution of approximately R854 from each of the country’s 7.4 million income taxpayers.

Of the total R6,329,233,883 expenditure, a significant portion—R3.39 billion—was allocated to renting homes for government officials, surpassing the R2.94 billion spent on office rentals.

Additionally, just over a R1 million was spent on damages to properties rented.

When asked what the total loss was due to damages to rental properties used by officials of his department abroad, the minister noted that R1.36 million had been incurred in the last rental and/or deposits due to damage.

This revelation has sparked questions about the department’s spending priorities and the sustainability of such expenses.

When questioned about alternative solutions, the minister stated that the department had considered purchasing land and developing its own properties abroad.

However, the projected cost for such developments stands at R5.9 billion as of March 2024, a figure nearly equal to what has already been spent.

To address this, the department is reportedly exploring a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in collaboration with the National Treasury.

This international expenditure is compounded by significant domestic spending on luxurious housing for cabinet ministers and their deputies.

In South Africa, the state owns 97 high-value homes for these officials, with a combined worth of approximately R967 million.

These properties are located in Pretoria and Cape Town, the administrative and legislative capitals of the country, respectively.

Of the 58 homes in Cape Town, 26 are occupied by cabinet ministers and boast an average value of R23.4 million each.

Meanwhile, residences in Pretoria are comparatively modest, with average values of R3.9 million for ministers and R3.3 million for their deputies.

This extravagant spending translates to an additional R130 from every taxpayer to fund the residences alone.

Critics have pointed out the stark contrast between these lavish expenditures and the fiscal pressures faced by ordinary South Africans.

Ministers and deputy ministers not only enjoy these high-value residences but also draw substantial annual salaries ranging from R2 million to R2.4 million.

These perks highlight a growing disparity between public officials and the citizens who bear the financial burden of their privileges.

The R6.3 billion spent abroad, and the R967 million for domestic ministerial homes represent only a fraction of the broader concerns about government spending.

As debates around these expenditures unfold, the revelations serve as a stark reminder of the need for transparent governance and fiscal prudence.

While the government justifies these costs as necessary for official functions, the mounting taxpayer burden and visible inequalities demand a reevaluation of what constitutes responsible public spending.

For now, South African taxpayers are left footing an ever-growing bill, both at home and abroad.

The tables below show the complete breakdown of state-owned residences currently occupied by ministers and deputy ministers in Cape Town and Pretoria.

Cape Town 

Pretoria 

Read: Landlords shocked by ‘surprise’ R2,200 fee in South Africa