Gauteng EFF calls for govt to terminate lease agreements with privately-owned buildings
Despite owning 41 vacant buildings in Johannesburg, the Gauteng government has been spending millions to house 11 of its head offices.
JOHANNESBURG - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is calling for the Gauteng government to terminate its lease agreements with privately-owned buildings, after it emerged the province spends R34 million per month on rent.
Despite owning 41 vacant buildings in Johannesburg, the Gauteng government has been spending millions to house 11 of its head offices.
While the provincial government claims its buildings are in poor condition, questions have arisen about why they’re not being used.
The EFF said it makes no financial sense for the Gauteng government to continue depending on privately-owned buildings for office space when it owns its properties.
The party wants the provincial government to do away with these lease agreements and urgently revamp state-owned buildings to use for office space.
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But Gauteng government spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said this is in the pipeline, but not in the short term.
“The long-term idea is to revamp those buildings. Some of the buildings, we are exchanging them with the national government. The only thing we are now looking at is this R34 million amount, is it justifiable?”
Part of the provincial government's forensic investigation into its office space lease agreements is to assess whether the R34 million monthly rental expenditure provides value for money.