Cape Town - Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has lashed out at DA MP Leon Schreiber for insinuating that the democratic government bought ministerial houses for ministers to the tune of nearly R1 billion.
On Monday, Schreiber issued a statement saying "ANC ministers and deputy ministers" were staying in 97 “mansions” valued at R967 million in Pretoria and Cape Town after he received a parliamentary response to his questions from De Lille.
He had estimated that each ministerial house was valued at nearly R10 million and suggested that every “ANC minister and deputy minister” currently lives in two mansions valued at a collective R20 million - all courtesy of South African taxpayers.
In an open letter, De Lille said she noted Schreiber's comments on the value of state-owned residences for ministers and deputy ministers.
“It must be noted that the amount does not mean that nearly R1 billion was spent on purchasing these residences as many of them were acquired years ago and before 2019, meaning they were purchased for below the current value, as the value of these properties have increased over time as per the trend of the property market and valuations by municipalities,” she said.
The minister said Schreiber should know in almost all cases, the value of any property increased over time.
De Lille also said the provision of residences for ministers and deputy ministers formed part of the provisions of the Guide for Members of the Executive, known as the ministerial handbook.
“More so, historically, since before 1994, the State has always provided houses to members of the executive.
“This was a practice we inherited and is due to the structure of government with Parliament in Cape Town and the seat of government/the executive being in Pretoria.”
She said the Groote Schuur Estate in Cape Town and the Bryntirion Estate in Pretoria, which has several ministerial residences and residences for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President David Mabuza, were, in fact, acquired by the apartheid government.
“Schreiber is attempting to insinuate that the democratic government brought on this practice, and he blatantly ignores the fact that this was an inherited practice, which has been in place since before 1994 and before my term in office.
“This practice has been in place since 1948 when the National Party was in government,” De Lille said.
Schreiber hit back at De Lille and challenged her to a public debate, saying she was defending the ministerial handbook.
“Given the defence of ministerial perks contained in her letter, I hereby wish to respond by inviting Minister De Lille to publicly debate me over the ethics, morality and legality of the Ministerial Handbook.
“I am prepared to debate her on any day, at any venue, for any length of time and on any platform of her choosing.
“If you genuinely believe the Ministerial Handbook is defensible, just name the time and place, Minister,” Schreiber said.
He charged that De Lille was unable to justify why each and every “ANC Minister and Deputy Minister” who presided over the collapse of every public service and government department in the country should continue to live like “rock stars”.
Cape Times