Panyaza Lesufi Demands Answers After the Provincial Government Spent R34 Million on Office Rentals

• Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has initiated an investigation into the government's expenditure on renting office space
• This was after the province's MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, revealed that the province spends R34 million renting offices
• Lesufi enlisted the services of an independent forensic firm to discover if the amount spent was wasteful expenditure

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

JOHANNESBURG — The Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, has hired a forensic firm to investigate claims of wasteful expenditure after revelations that the province spends R34 million monthly on office rentals emerged.

What did Panyaza Lesufi say about office rentals?

According to IOL, Lesufi's spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said the investigation seeks to uncover whether the rentals are wasteful expenditure for the government. The investigation also seeks to discover possible options, which involve a public-private partnership. He added that the government has a project to revitalise Johannesburg's Central Business District.

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Mhaga also said that some buildings owned by the government are heritage sites and lengthy, costly processes are needed before the renovations to the buildings are made.

Mamabolo, responding to questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, said that the provincial government owns 40 buildings which have been abandoned. Healso said that a lack of maintenance resulted in the dilapidation of the buildings. The Democratic Alliance slammed the Department of Infrastructure Development for wasting R34 million while the government owns buildings.

In 2024, The Minister of Public Works and Infrastucture, Dean Macpherson, revealed that the government owns 88,000 buildings across South Africa. Out of these, 338 buildings have been hijacked. He said the state had to plan what to do with the buildings, as they cannot fall into criminals' hands.

What did netizens say?

South Africans commenting on IOL's Facebook page shared their opinions.

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Nathi Dee Sibiya said:

"Maybe issues like these should be investigated by the national government. I know they say it is an independent forensic company, but surely they cannot be fully independent if they are hired and paid by the same entity that they are investigating."

Mulimisi Raswiswi said:

"So the premier hears of the R34 million monthly rentals for the first time like the rest of us? The premier shrugged his shoulders when the news of R400 million Soweto schools' sanitation cost broke out during COVID-19."

Diamond Mabasa said:

"Nothing is justifiable about mediocre, incompetent cadre deployment."

Deon Nel said:

"As a premier, he should know these things. Who is his MEC that's supposed to report on this?"

Mannie Naidoo asked:

"Why hire an independent forensic firm? Does the government or treasury not have qualified chartered accountants to perform these exercises? Again, wasted expenditure. ANC knows just how to waste and destroy."

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City of Joburg to move mayor's offices

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the City of Johannesburg's mayor, Dada Morero, announced that he will move his offices to the Usindiso Building. He said the move is meant to bring the executive closer to the heart of Johannesburg.

The Usindiso Building is the building that caught fire, killing 77 people. South Africans debated about his decision.

Source: Briefly News