Outrage As Gauteng Government Spends R34 Million To Rent Office Space

• The Gauteng provincial government has come under fire for spending R34 million on rent for its 11 head offices
• This is despite the fact that it owns 41 buildings across the province that remain vacant
• The buildings are in poor condition, and South Africans slammed the provincial government for wasting money
• ActionSA's Gauteng provincial chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, spoke to Briefly News and expressed shock and disappointment

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

GAUTENG — The Gauteng Provincial Government has come under fire from the public after it was revealed that it spends R34 million renting office space despite owning buildings across the province.

Gauteng government spends millions on rent

According to the Sunday Times, MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Jacob Mamabolo revealed in the provincial legislature how much the government spends on rent. He also revealed that the government owns 41 buildings across the province, which remain unused.

The buildings are said to be in a state of disrepair. The province's infrastructure and development department said it has insufficient funding to maintain and refurbish the buildings. The department also believes that the deterioration of buildings is a result of a lack of maintenance.

Mamabolo added that the provincial government was compelled to lease out office space as a temporary solution. He said the provincial government is setting its eyes on a Gauteng Precinct Development project that would see precincts being revitalised in the long term.

In November 2024, the provincial government revealed that it spent R28 million on a failed government project. It bought 16 shipping containers, which were to be used for selling fruit and vegetables.

The government spent R521 billion bailing state-owned entities out for the past 15 years. These include bailouts to Eskom, Denel, South African Airways and the South African Post Office.

ActionSA speaks to Briefly News

ActionSA's Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, spoke to Briefly News and was dismayed at the revelation.

"ActionSA is deeply alarmed by MEC Jacob Mamabolo’s revelation that the Gauteng Provincial Government is spending R34 million annually to rent office space for its 11 departmental headquarters, despite owning 41 government buildings that have been left to decay," he said.

"This is a shocking indictment of government mismanagement, poor asset oversight, and a disregard for public money. It is unacceptable that while basic services in our communities continue to deteriorate, the government squanders millions on avoidable rental costs.

"This is a shocking indictment of government mismanagement, poor asset oversight, and a disregard for public money. It is unacceptable that while basic services in our communities continue to deteriorate, the government squanders millions on avoidable rental costs."

What did South Africans say?

South Africans commenting on TimesLIVE's X account attributed the expenditure to corruption.

Zandi Thabethe said:

"Loo into who owns the building. Therein lies your answer. I bet you will find a cadre among the shareholders."

I am Lungi said:

"The level of corruption we face in this country. Our problems are internal. R34 million can create 15000 plus jobs monthly. That includes buying the building and paying salaries."

Groot Afrikaner said:

"The ANC has entrenched corruption and incompetence so deeply that it now consumes every level of government and society like a wildfire."

Supreme said:

"ANC fought to end apartheid so they could inherit the poverty, not end it."

AMM said:

"This is not a mistake. It's a calculated decision to milk the country dry and in turn tax us to the bone just like they do with water tankers."

Herman Mashaba slams government's expenditure

In a related article, Briefly News reported that ActionSA president Herman Mashaba criticised the government for spending billions on foreign missions. This was after it was revealed that the government spent R3.45 billion in the 2023/24 financial year on foreign missions.

Mashaba said the government was wasting billions on missions when the money could be used to provide much-needed services in the country. Netizens were not impressed with his diagnosis.

"A lot of slamming, but no action from No ActionSA again," one commented.

Source: Briefly News