Taxpayers will fork out another R95m on renovating MPs' houses

The government is expected to fork out about R95m in taxpayer money to renovate its three parliamentary villages in Cape Town.

In a response to a parliamentary question from the DA's Samantha Graham, public works and infrastructure minister Patricia de Lille said the average cost of renovations allocated to each unit was R361,882. The total cost of the project is R95.9m.

De Lille said the scope of work mainly focused on diminishing maintenance items resulting from a lack of routine maintenance in the Acacia Park, Pelican Park and Laboria Park parliamentary villages.

This will include general building renovations like painting, tiling, floor coverings, roof coverings, brickwork, plastering, windows and doors; upgrading solar heaters and rewiring units; upgrading alarms and intercom systems; replacing appliances; and structural work.

The refurbishment cost per unit is broken down as follows:

• Kitchen upgrades - R37,450;
• Bathroom upgrades - R56,536;
• Upgrading of all floors - R20,094;
• Repair/redecorate walls internally and externally - R39,834;
• Repair/replace doors, windows, burglar bars, gates and bedroom cupboards - R11,923;
• Structural repairs to walls and floors - R11,923;
• Redecorate/replace ceilings and cornices - R17,204;
• Repair/replace/clean roofs, gutters, leaves, downpipes - R46,937;
• Repair/replace paving, stormwater channels, yard walls and gates - R26,174;
• Electrical compliance upgrade - R41,479;
• New solar panels - R19,270; and
• New alarm system - R7,008.

De Lille said each house would be assessed before any work is done. 

TimesLIVE previously reported that the state forked out about R750m over the fourth and fifth parliament (between 2009 and 2019) to house MPs at the same parliamentary villages. 

This amount included costs for water and electricity, rates and taxes, management of the three villages, construction of new buildings, maintenance and the purchasing of furniture and appliances.

This means that, on average, taxpayers spend more than R70m annually to accommodate MPs at parliamentary villages.

bout R750m over the fourth and fifth parliament (between 2009 and 2019) to house MPs at the same parliamentary villages. 

This amount included costs for water and electricity, rates and taxes, management of the three villages, construction of new buildings, maintenance and the purchasing of furniture and appliances.

This means that, on average, taxpayers spend more than R70m annually to accommodate MPs at parliamentary villages.