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Cape Town - The department of public works is investigating all its Prestige projects. The Prestige programme covers the management of national government offices and the accommodation of the presidency, cabinet members, MPs and senior judges as well as the organising of national events.
The upgrading of President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead at Nkandla at an estimated cost of R206m also falls under this programme.
Minister of Public Works Thulas Nxesi made the announcement during the debate on the public works budget vote in parliament on Wednesday morning.
“Prestige is a fraction of the mandate of Public Works, but accounts for much of the negative publicity which the department has attracted.
"Given this profile, we have taken firm control of Prestige by centralising it, implementing a new structure, and creating a direct reporting line to the director general.
"This has already been accomplished, and has already resulted in the cancellation of a number of high-priced projects,” Nxesi said.
He added that underperformance by service providers, the pricing of renovations and other irregularities are being investigated. “Culprits will be held to account.”
He said the investigation process is complete in regard to Pretoria.
“We have now extended the investigation to Cape Town, where R100m was spent on renovating 11 ministerial houses.”
Nxesi said many of the problems surrounding the security upgrade at Nkandla are “rooted in the failure of supply chain management processes, poor management and lack of accountability”.
He said: “As a department we completed our preliminary internal investigation at the beginning of the year. We have referred our findings to the SIU for further investigation.
"We are also cooperating with the public protector’s investigation. Parliament is planning to discuss our report, and the auditor general has undertaken to audit Prestige projects.
“I can assure honourable members, no stone is being left unturned. I have given an undertaking that as a department, we will act against any official where evidence of wrongdoing exists,” said Nxesi.
DA Shadow Minister of Public Works Anchen Dreyer MP said aside from Nkandla, where “over R200m of public money was used to enrich one person”, public works spent “twice as much on presidential parties and functions than was budgeted for”.
“Following the example of the president, public works massively increased spending on ministerial mansions. In 2013, R532m was allocated over the medium term to the prestige portfolio to add luxuries such as swimming pools, braai areas, guest cottages and spas for ministers.
"It’s clear that ministers' own comfort is far more important than service delivery to the people,” said Dreyer.
She added that while there is unlimited spending on the ruling class, the department underspent by R212m on social infrastructure like schools, police stations and clinics.
“The message is clear: to hell with the other 50 million South Africans.”
She said it is also unbelievable that there is still no asset register of government property available, two decades after democracy.
“The state owns an estimated 180 000 pieces of property, making it one of the largest landowners in the southern hemisphere, but the details are thin to non-existent,” said Dreyer.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
The upgrading of President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead at Nkandla at an estimated cost of R206m also falls under this programme.
Minister of Public Works Thulas Nxesi made the announcement during the debate on the public works budget vote in parliament on Wednesday morning.
“Prestige is a fraction of the mandate of Public Works, but accounts for much of the negative publicity which the department has attracted.
"Given this profile, we have taken firm control of Prestige by centralising it, implementing a new structure, and creating a direct reporting line to the director general.
"This has already been accomplished, and has already resulted in the cancellation of a number of high-priced projects,” Nxesi said.
He added that underperformance by service providers, the pricing of renovations and other irregularities are being investigated. “Culprits will be held to account.”
He said the investigation process is complete in regard to Pretoria.
“We have now extended the investigation to Cape Town, where R100m was spent on renovating 11 ministerial houses.”
Nxesi said many of the problems surrounding the security upgrade at Nkandla are “rooted in the failure of supply chain management processes, poor management and lack of accountability”.
He said: “As a department we completed our preliminary internal investigation at the beginning of the year. We have referred our findings to the SIU for further investigation.
"We are also cooperating with the public protector’s investigation. Parliament is planning to discuss our report, and the auditor general has undertaken to audit Prestige projects.
“I can assure honourable members, no stone is being left unturned. I have given an undertaking that as a department, we will act against any official where evidence of wrongdoing exists,” said Nxesi.
DA Shadow Minister of Public Works Anchen Dreyer MP said aside from Nkandla, where “over R200m of public money was used to enrich one person”, public works spent “twice as much on presidential parties and functions than was budgeted for”.
“Following the example of the president, public works massively increased spending on ministerial mansions. In 2013, R532m was allocated over the medium term to the prestige portfolio to add luxuries such as swimming pools, braai areas, guest cottages and spas for ministers.
"It’s clear that ministers' own comfort is far more important than service delivery to the people,” said Dreyer.
She added that while there is unlimited spending on the ruling class, the department underspent by R212m on social infrastructure like schools, police stations and clinics.
“The message is clear: to hell with the other 50 million South Africans.”
She said it is also unbelievable that there is still no asset register of government property available, two decades after democracy.
“The state owns an estimated 180 000 pieces of property, making it one of the largest landowners in the southern hemisphere, but the details are thin to non-existent,” said Dreyer.
- Fin24
*Follow James-Brent Styan on Twitter at @jamesstyan.
