By Charmaine Ndlela
Build One South Africa (BOSA) has called on the government to cut about R4 million a year in costs at ministers’ official homes, and to instead redirect the money to critical public services such as education, infrastructure, and policing.
The party’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, made the appeal following a written reply from Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson to a parliamentary question from BOSA Deputy Leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster.
On Thursday, Solomons said BOSA’s reading of the reply showed that each minister received a state-funded domestic worker, paid entirely by taxpayers, and that the government covers all gardening and garden-maintenance costs at official residences.
“While South Africa endure rising food prices, unreliable water supply, overcrowded classroom and collapsing municipal services, Cabinet Ministers enjoy fully serviced, fully subsided luxury living,” he said.
“Ministers live in homes where taxpayers not only cover almost R4 million in utilities, but also pay for gardeners, cleaners and maintenance, with no cap.”
Solomons said this level of support for the executive was “only the tip of the iceberg” in terms of how taxpayers’ money is allocated.
He added that South Africa deserves leaders who live modestly and serve with integrity.
“We should accept that government elites are insulated from the hardship they are meant to solve,” Solomons said.
BOSA outlined a set of urgent actions it believes could save millions and improve fiscal efficiency. These include an immediate cap or removal of non-essential perks, especially for domestic and gardening services, and redirecting all savings into frontline services such as education, policing and infrastructure.
Speaking to Inside Politics, Solomons said there was “little to no accountability”.
“The Minister of Public Works lacks the political will to restrict this type of spending as he too and other DA Ministers are benefiting,” he said.
INSIDE POLITICS