By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) says it has spent R95 million between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023 to maintain the official residences of the president and deputy president.
This is according to public works minister Sihle Zikalala’s response to parliamentary questions from Democratic Alliance MP Leon Schreiber.
Zikalala said some of the presidential homes are over 100 years old and government cannot allow them to deteriorate.
He further said that due to the ageing of the properties, more money is required to maintain them.
Zikalala added that all spending on state properties has to be budgeted for and passed in Parliament.
There are two properties in Cape Town and Pretoria and one in Durban that President Cyril Ramaphosa and deputy president Paul Mashatile use.
The presidential residences in Pretoria have been the most expensive, with water and electricity, rates and taxes, and maintenance for the two properties totalling almost R46 million over the five years.
Maintenance costs contributed the most to this total at R41 million.
The presidential residences in Pretoria — Mahlamba Ndlopfu and OR Tambo — are located in Bryntirion Estate in Hatfield.
JL Dube house in Durban cost almost R30 million over the five years, with water and electricity bills totalling R6.5 million and property rates and taxes of R7.2 million.
Maintenance costs were once again the most significant contributor at R16 million.
The presidential residences in Cape Town are located in the Groote Schuur Estate in Rondebosch.
Upkeep costs for the two properties totalled R19.5 million for the five years.
The president customarily lives in houses across the country, many of which were heritage buildings like Genadendal in Rondebosch, Cape Town, with its wide verandas, sash windows, highly polished brass garden taps and tranquil gardens where local and foreign visitors were often hosted for meetings.
Ramaphosa would be no stranger to property maintenance costs after declaring he owns 31 townhouses in Johannesburg and two flats in Cape Town in his private capacity in the released register of members’ interests.
Many MPs and seasonal parliamentary officials opt to live in the parliamentary villages of Acacia Park, Pelican Park and Laboria Park in Cape Town.