The maintenance and utility costs of presidential residences in Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria have amounted to a staggering R95 million between April 2018 and March 2023. The most expensive properties were in Pretoria, with maintenance expenses totalling R41 million. In a move to address public concerns, President Cyril Ramaphosa withdrew an amendment that granted cabinet ministers and deputies unlimited free utilities. The revised policy now limits utility coverage to R5,000 per month, while luxury car spending limits were increased to R800,000.
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Over R95 million spent on Ramaphosa’s Presidential residence
By Myles Illidge
The upkeep of presidential residences in Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria cost R95 million between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023.
This is according to public works minister Sihle Zikalala’s response to parliamentary questions from Democratic Alliance MP Leon Schreiber.
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.
Read more: Internal ANC politics: Ramaphosa’s refusal to get rid of Cele
Ramaphosa scraps unlimited free electricity and water for Ministers
In October 2022, Ramaphosa withdrew an amendment to the Executive Members Guide, giving cabinet ministers and their deputies unlimited free utilities to their official residences.
“President Ramaphosa acknowledges and appreciates the public sentiments on the matter,” said presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
“However, the impression created that the amendments were conducted in secrecy and to avoid public scrutiny is false.”
“The withdrawal will give effect to the 2019 version of the Executive Guide, pending a review,” he added.
The 2019 Executive Members Guide stipulates that ministers’ utility bills at their official residences are still covered by up to R5,000 per month.
The announcement came after Ramaphosa scrapped the R5,000 monthly limit in April 2022.
The ministerial handbook now was amended to state that “the department responsible for public works shall be responsible for the costs associated with the provision of water and electricity to official residences”.
However, the perks of being part of Ramaphosa’s cabinet didn’t stop at free municipal rates.
The president also increased the spending limit for luxury cars and supplied their official residences with generators.
Cabinet ministers and deputies could spend up to R800,000 when purchasing a new vehicle, up from R700,000 as specified in 2019.
Upkeep costs for South Africa’s presidential residences in Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria, from April 2018 to March 2023 are summarised in the table below.
| Presidential residences upkeep costs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | Combined |
| Cape Town | ||||||
| Utilities | R2,170,556 | R2,128,400 | R1,827,932 | R2,093,436 | R2,691,952 | R10,912,276 |
| Rates | R170,879 | R177,539 | R125,366 | R134,809 | R141,600 | R750,194 |
| Maintenance | R2,299,632 | R2,261,245 | R1,070,952 | R554,205 | R1,627,597 | R7,813,630 |
| Total | R19,476,099 | |||||
| Durban | ||||||
| Utilities | R865,920 | R932,910 | R3,508,588 | R602,028 | R611,042 | R6,520,488 |
| Rates | R972,274 | R2,982,243 | R1,088,433 | R1,142,646 | R1,037,049 | R7,222,644 |
| Maintenance | R7,422,204 | R2,003,112 | R1,702,077 | R1,956,773 | R3,098,778 | R16,182,944 |
| Total | R29,926,076 | |||||
| Pretoria | ||||||
| Utilities | R259,671 | R209,536 | R1,396,179 | R554,272 | R555,414 | R2,975,072 |
| Rates | R297,018 | R237,488 | R235,456 | R306,125 | R279,424 | R1,355,511 |
| Maintenance | R13,203,803 | R5,657,133 | R6,491,124 | R9,188,298 | R6,942,520 | R41,482,878 |
| Total | R45,813,462 | |||||
| Overall | R95,215,637 | |||||
Read also:
- President Ramaphosa’s Phala-Phala controversy: A deceitful manoeuvring of South Africa’s judicial processes
- Cyril Ramaphosa: The Emperor is naked and afraid – Eugene Brink
- Clem Sunter: SA at economic crossroads – Election ’24 parallels pre-94 watershed
This article was first published by MyBroadBand and is republished with permission.
