‘Those days are over’: Dean Macpherson tightens the purse strings on MP offices and accommodation

South Africa’s Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure has confirmed that there will be no new procuring of offices or accommodation for the seventh administration.

Dean Macpherson, the newly appointed Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure said that there will be no procuring of any new housing stock or offices for executives and Members of Parliament.

According to Macpherson, all allocations will be made from the existing state properties, while no new requests for procurement will be entertained.

Macpherson has also confirmed that they will not be spending on existing properties, members of the executive as well as Parliament will have to make do with existing furniture.

Similarly, no new office rentals will be entertained.

“As the Department responsible for the accommodation of the Executive and Members of Parliament, we will house all members from the available properties of the State. We will not rent or lease any accommodation or office space. Those days are over,” Macpherson said.

“The Department has confirmed to me that there is enough available stock to meet the needs of both the Executive and Members of Parliament.“

Macpherson said that the tight fiscal position of the State is an important consideration for this decision, as the economy cannot make room for any requests for new procurement of accommodation.

“Moreover, we have listened to the message of the citizens about being prudent with the public purse and cut down on perks and invest more in creating jobs and growing the economy,” Macpherson said.

Macpherson said that his main priority is to invest in infrastructure.

Accommodation for Ministers and Deputy Ministers

Earlier this year, the Democratic Alliance revealed that ANC Ministers and Deputy Ministers occupy properties in Cape Town and Pretoria worth R967 million.

This information was made public after the DA submitted a parliamentary question to the then Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille.

According to de Lille, 97 properties are occupied by ANC Ministers and Deputy Ministers in Cape Town and Pretoria. In Cape Town, 26 Ministers and 32 Deputy Ministers live in state-owned residences, while 14 Ministers and 25 Deputy Ministers occupy properties in Pretoria.

The DA said that properties in Cape Town are worth R830 million and the residences in Pretoria are valued at R137 million.