Makhura vows to act against excessive spending by MECs

Gauteng Premier David Makhura

Gauteng Premier David Makhura

Published Sep 4, 2017

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Johannesburg - Gauteng Premier David Makhura has vowed to act against any of his MECs found to have spent more than R100 000 on security upgrades at their private residences.

“The cost for security upgrades was fixed by cabinet at R100 000 in June 2003, with provision to account for inflation - now amounting to about R200 000,” he said.

The cabinet decision taken was in 2003 and yet the Gauteng provincial government spent more than R759 000 for security upgrades at the residences of former Gauteng MEC for local government and housing Humphrey Mmemezi in 2012.

Mmemezi was fired as MEC in July 2012 following a series of exposés by the Cape Times' sister paper, The Star.

Aware of Mmemezi’s past, Makhura, who was Gauteng ANC provincial secretary then, said in his written reply to questions by the DA’s Jack Bloom that his government would act against any MEC found to have exceeded the limit.

Since he took over in 2014 “a total amount of R1.1 million has been spent on security upgrades at the private residences of the Gauteng premier and his MECs", Makhura said.

Any MEC whose private residence security upgrades had exceeded R200 000 should pay the difference.

Security for his own residence had cost R71 229, and nothing was spent on upgrades at the houses of four MECs in this term of office as it was already done in the previous term, namely Transport MEC Ismail Vadi, Finance MEC Barbara Creecy, Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile and Co-operative Governance MEC Paul Mashatile.

The big spenders were former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu (R252 558), former sports, arts and recreation MEC Molebatsi Bopape (R230 190), Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi (R200 000 and Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane (R149 536).

Most of the costs were incurred on the upgrade of perimeter fences, security gates and cameras.

Political Bureau

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