By Andisiwe Makinana
The daughter of former Human Rights Commissioner Rhoda Kadalie is due to marry a former DA speech writer on Wednesday at Premier Helen Zille's official residence.
The lavish wedding of Julia Bertelsmann and Joel Pollack is scheduled to take place in Leeuwenhof at "7pm an hour before sundown on the 13th day of the month of Tevet, in the year 5770 on the Jewish calendar, in the presence of scores of family and friends", according to the couple's wedding website.
Pollack is the erstwhile speechwriter of former DA leader Tony Leon as well as that of US failed Republican presidential runner John McCain.
Both he and his bride-to-be are Harvard graduates. Bertelsmann is the editor-in-chief of the prestigious university's Middle East journal, New Society.
The use of an official residence for a private function has raised the ire of Co-operative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka, who says Zille should have sought permission from him, or President Jacob Zuma, or Minister of Public Works Geoff Doidge.
Zille's spokesman, Robert Macdonald, told the Cape Argus that when she received the request from the family she had wanted to try to accommodate them as they were "long-standing friends of the family".
Macdonald said Zille had then consulted the manager of the residence and the Ministerial Handbook.
"It is within the law," he said, adding that the family was covering all the costs.
Shiceka said there were no rules governing the house, but because it was state property, it could not be used for such private functions.
"This is the first I've heard of it and I will certainly be following up on it," Shiceka said.
The provincial Department of Public Works is in charge of provincial property including Leeuwenhof, its maintenance and running.
Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle said he had no problem or objection to the reception being held there. State property was used by "government and ANC members all the time".
Two months ago, Doidge had used Fernwood, state property near Kirstenbosch, for the wedding of his daughter.
"I'm not aware of it (the wedding reception) but I suppose (Zille) is entitled to have a reception for a daughter of a friend there," he said.
Carlisle dismissed Shiceka as "talking nonsense", adding that he must deal with Doidge.