At the end of last week, parliament confirmed that the embattled public works department had spent approximately R183 million since May 2009, and that R46 million had been dropped on exclusive residences in this year alone. It’s therefore no surprise that the Hawks are struggling to finance their investigations.

Not only have ridiculous amounts of money been squandered on elaborate properties, but over-inflated prices also seem to have been paid for some of the properties.

For instance, one property purchased by the state for R8 million is valued at only R1.7 million on the City of Cape Town’s valuation roll.

It wasn’t clear when this particular property was last valued (market valuation may be a little out-dated).

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Nomaindia Mfeketo has been allotted one of them – a Tuscan-style mansion in Delaire Road in the exclusive new suburb in Van Riebeeckshof, ­Bellville, even though a residential property she owns through a ­company is a mere nine kilometres away.

Her house sports an air-conditioned bedroom, a designer kitchen with a stainless steel gas hob and plush dark-wood finishes, an outdoor entertainment area with a stainless steel braai, pool and imposing stairs leading up to a – terraced garden – and six garages.

A City Press investigation into the purchases revealed that deeds records showed that the Bellville property purchases are among the highest prices paid for property in that particular neighbourhood.

Public works spokesperson Thami Mchunu:

The identification of the properties was purely based on the condition and age of the houses.

These were newly constructed houses which did not require any structural alterations, as opposed to the houses around [Cape Town’s] southern suburbs.

The properties join the growing list of the public works’ Prestige Portfolio, which provides housing to Cabinet members, deputy ministers and other officials in government’s top tiers.

[Source: News24]