Maintenance of Premier's home to cost R7.5 million rand

Taxpayers will have to pay R7.5 million in the next three years to maintain the official residence of Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.



Her spokesman Thebe Mohatle told Beeld the Gauteng government had spent about R25m, including the purchase price, on the house in Bryanston, Johannesburg, since it was bought in 2004.

In addition, R1.2m of taxpayers' money had been spent on new furniture, linen and curtains for the house.

Mohatle told the newspaper R7.5m had been budgeted for the maintenance of the property over the next three years.

Asked whether Mokonyane felt it was reasonable to expect taxpayers to pay that amount on the upkeep of her home, Mohatle said it was a private matter.

Beeld recently reported that Mokonyane had used her official credit card to pay for luxury hotels and restaurants in the past two years. In one instance, she paid R16,000 for a single dinner meeting.

Mokonyane currently earns R1.88m a year.


SOURCE : THE SOWETAN