Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson Reveals 338 Government Buildings Hijacked

• Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson revealed the number of hijacked buildings in the country
• He said 338 buildings nationwide have been hijacked out of the 88,000 buildings that the government owns
• South Africans demanded to know what the government would do about the hijacked buildings, and some made suggestions

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, political parties and Parliament.

JOHANNESBURG—Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson said that 338 of the 88,000 buildings the government owns are hijacked.

338 government buildings taken over

According to SABC News, Macpherson briefed Parliament and gave an update on how he performed in his first eight weeks as the minister. The department is auditing the 88,000 buildings it owns, and Macpherson touched on the need for a way forward regarding hijacked buildings.

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Macpherson said the state may not want to use all the buildings and has to plan what it intends to do with these assets. He said that the buildings cannot be used for criminal gain. He also mentioned the raids that the South African Police Service conducted in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, recently, when more than 100 foreign nationals who were found in the hijacked buildings were arrested.

South Africans are concerned about buildings

Netizens on Facebook expressed concern about the government's buildings and recommended what the state could do with them.

Lungisani Carburator Ngubane said:

"We need a task team to deal with this issue urgently. Identify the hijacked buildings and develop a plan to reclaim them. Government should engage with communities and stakeholders to find solutions and prevent further hijackings."

Phaahla Lehlagare Elmon asked:

"So what are they going to do about it, since they are aware of the situation?"

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Walter Tshivule said:

"The question is what the government is doing about it."

Eli Maru Mah said:

"Tighten up security and claim them back."

Moguty O'Lekker said:

"Go reclaim, innovate and rent them to citizens only."

SA demands name of Johannesburg councillor arrested for hijacked buildings

In a related article, Briefly News reported that South Africans wanted the identity of the councillor arrested for hijacking buildings in Johannesburg.

The police arrested 24 people for hijacking the JMPD's old building in 2023. A councillor was among those who were arrested.

Source: Briefly News