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Pretoria - Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde will comment within 30 days on the Public Protector's report into the SA Police Service's (Saps') lease agreement for the Middestad Building in Pretoria.
Speaking at a press conference, Mahlangu-Nkabinde said she was still reading the report released last month by Thuli Madonsela and would comment once she had fully studied it.
She said she respected the Public Protector, and denied a media report that quoted her as saying that the report was "shallow and superficial".
Last year it was reported that National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele had agreed to a R500m lease agreement for the building in Pretoria with property tycoon Roux Shabangu, allegedly without following tender procedures.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde said she had been in contact with Shabangu two or three times, including a telephone call during which he said: "I want to tell you my side of the story."
Madonsela found that Cele was guilty of improper conduct and maladministration when the police entered into the lease, allegedly valued at R500m, for the Sanlam Middestad Building in Pretoria.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde has been in possession of the Public Protector's report for the past month.
Madonsela found that the accounting officer of the public works department was also guilty of improper conduct and maladministration.
She also said that the lease between the public works department and property tycoon Roux Shabangu's Roux Property Fund was invalid.
She said that the decision of the public works department to continue with the deal despite legal opinion advising against it amounted to maladministration.
Madonsela also recommended that the cabinet, at its first meeting, demand an explanation from Mahlangu-Nkabinde on why she decided to continue with the lease despite legal opinion to the contrary.
Speaking at a press conference, Mahlangu-Nkabinde said she was still reading the report released last month by Thuli Madonsela and would comment once she had fully studied it.
She said she respected the Public Protector, and denied a media report that quoted her as saying that the report was "shallow and superficial".
Last year it was reported that National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele had agreed to a R500m lease agreement for the building in Pretoria with property tycoon Roux Shabangu, allegedly without following tender procedures.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde said she had been in contact with Shabangu two or three times, including a telephone call during which he said: "I want to tell you my side of the story."
Madonsela found that Cele was guilty of improper conduct and maladministration when the police entered into the lease, allegedly valued at R500m, for the Sanlam Middestad Building in Pretoria.
Mahlangu-Nkabinde has been in possession of the Public Protector's report for the past month.
Madonsela found that the accounting officer of the public works department was also guilty of improper conduct and maladministration.
She also said that the lease between the public works department and property tycoon Roux Shabangu's Roux Property Fund was invalid.
She said that the decision of the public works department to continue with the deal despite legal opinion advising against it amounted to maladministration.
Madonsela also recommended that the cabinet, at its first meeting, demand an explanation from Mahlangu-Nkabinde on why she decided to continue with the lease despite legal opinion to the contrary.
