President's palaces: State spends hundreds of millions on Zuma's lavish lifestyle
The Minister of Public Works has today revealed, in a series of parliamentary replies, that over R398 million has been spent on renovating the President's Cape Town and Pretoria residences, and Cabinet's Pretoria estate.
The content of these replies follows below.
I will today be writing to the Minister of Public Works to request a full explanation for why such expenditure was deemed an appropriate use of state funds. I will also be submitting an oral question to the President on this matter, so that he can account to Parliament and the South African people for this vast expenditure.
The cost breakdown supplied by the Minister is as follows:
- Cost of renovating the President's Cape Town residence, Genadendal: R13.5 million
- Cost of renovating the President's Cape Town office: R24.4 million
- Cost of furniture for the President's Cape Town office: R778 000
- Cost of upgrading the Bryntirion Estate: Over R192 million
- Cost of refurbishing the President's Pretoria residence, Mahlamba Ndlopfu: Over R168 million