Gauteng premier's residence should be sold

4 November 2014

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has declined to stay in the Premier's official residence in Bryanston, Johannesburg, and it has been decided that the house will be used to host "official business government engagements".

This is revealed in a written reply by Makhura to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to the reply he "prefers to stay at his own private residence".

I respect his decision not to stay at this residence, but it has proved to be a bad investment and should be sold rather than be used for events that can easily be hosted elsewhere.

More than R14 million has been spent on repair and refurbishment of the house since it was bought for R11.5 million in 2004.

Last year, R694 000 was budgeted for maintenance, of which R574 000 was for repairing the swimming pool.

Makhura says that the Department of Infrastructure Development has been instructed to undertake an evaluation of the need for an official Premier's residence.

I hope this review is done speedily as the house is a white elephant that should be disposed of as soon as possible.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Member of the Oversight Committee on the Premier's Office, November 4 2014

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