The public protector must probe the R3.25-million spent over the past three years to maintain Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane’s official residence in Bryanston, northern Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday.
“It is all very suspicious. I have already referred various aspects of the spending on this house to the public protector, and will refer the latest fishy expenditure to her as well for investigation,” said DA caucus leader Jack Bloom in a statement.
The expenditure on the house was revealed by Gauteng’s infrastructure development minister Bheki Nkosi in a written reply to questions by Bloom, in the Gauteng Legislature.
Called for comment, Mokonyane’s spokesperson Xoli Mngambi said the DA had the right to approach the public protector but the premier’s office would respond when it was approached by the office of the public protector.
‘Deep cleaning’
The written reply by Nkosi refers to R547 000 spent in 2008 on “deep cleaning of the house, garden service, swimming pool and smaller maintenance”, Bloom said.
He said in 2009 and 2010 about R2.7-million had been spent on the refurbishment of the main bedroom and en-suite bathroom, the kitchen, laundry, dressing-room closet, curtains and bedding, and furniture.
Furthermore, internal walls had been painted, and a TV, a cupboard and additional couches had been supplied.
“Keliana Services was paid R3.25-million for the above services and another company, Sonke Plantscapers, has a R137 619.88 contract for maintenance on the house this year. This really appears excessive,” said Bloom.
In the same reply last September, then infrastructure development minister Faith Mazibuko listed the same refurbishment work for 2009/2010, but at a lower price of R2.072-million, Bloom said.
He said the latest reply “deviates significantly” from previous replies that he’d been given.
“This is the first time that Keliana has been named as a service provider, whereas other companies were named before.
R13-million spent on refurbishments
“[Mokonyane] is ultimately accountable in this matter. We need to know why more than R2-million has been spent on the house during her administration alone,” he said, questioning if these tenders were awarded properly.
Mngambi said Mokonyane’s office would not respond to hearsay.
Bloom said the house had been bought for R11.5-million in 2004, but about R13-million had been spent since then on refurbishments and repairs, although the house was only a few years old when purchased by the province.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s office said it had not yet received any complaint about the spending on the house from the DA, at noon on Thursday. – Sapa