Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has hired an independent forensic firm to investigate the provincial government’s expenditure on lease agreements after it emerged that R34 million is being paid out monthly for rentals.
Last week, DA Gauteng spokesperson for infrastructure development, Khathutshelo Rasilingwane issued a statement, saying the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) wastes over R34 million monthly on office rentals, while 41 provincial government buildings stand empty and abandoned.
“Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money on renting office space, GDID must fix the buildings that are not in use due to non-compliance with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards,” Rasilingwane said at the time.
On Tuesday, Panyaza’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the ongoing investigation seeks to ascertain if the huge rentals bill is wasteful expenditure for the province.
Get your news on the go, click here to join the News WhatsApp channel.
“I think it (the probe) is to ascertain whether there is wasteful expenditure by our government and what are other options. Other options have been toyed around, part of it being to go through private-public partnership, which we think is a very viable option to bring back some of government buildings which are dilapidated,” he said.
Mhaga said it is anticipated that the investigators would not take much time in the probe.
Additionally, Mhaga said the Gauteng government has an ongoing mega project to revitalise the Joburg central business district, which has been abandoned by the majority of private sector businesses who moved to areas like Sandton and Rosebank.
“This is really part of revitalising the CBD. As you know, a lot of private sector left the CBD to other areas like Rosebank and Sandton and there was a conscious decision by the provincial government that let us remain in Joburg, so that it does not become a ghost town,” he said.
Mhaga added some of the buildings owned by the provincial government in and around Joburg are heritage sites and lengthy processes are required before renovations, and the processes are also costly.
“What really is the question is that, is R34 million per month justifiable or not? That is really what we want to be assisted by those doing the investigation,” he said.
On the other hand, the Democratic Alliance argues that the GDID has “constantly failed dismally” in maintaining and managing public assets.
