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Ministerial houses

TAXPAYERS have coughed up R56.5m for electricity, water, generators and security upgrades for the houses of ministers and their deputies in Cape Town and Pretoria over the past four years.

This emerged when newly-appointed Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala responded to parliamentary questions from DA MP Leon Schreiber.

Schreiber enquired about the amount of public funds that have been spent on paying water and electricity bills at the state-owned official residences for ministers and deputy ministers since June 2019.

He also wanted to know the amount spent on procuring and installing generators, inverters and solar and/ or other electricity systems as well as boreholes, well-points and water reticulation and purification systems at the state-owned houses.

Schreiber also asked about the cost of security, including security upgrades, provided at state-owned official residences.

In his written response, Zikalala said a total of R56 548 268 was spent on electricity, water, generators and security upgrades at the ministerial houses.

Last month, it was stated that 58 state-owned houses were occupied by ministers and their deputies in Cape Town and the number stood at 39 in Pretoria.

All the ministerial houses are valued to the tune of R966m. | IOL