Dean Macpherson told parliament that his department leases private property worth R6 billion annually despite owning the most land in South Africa. He accused some officials of sabotaging leasing rules for personal gain.
Speaking during the Economics Cluster question session in the National Assembly on 6 May, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said the department remains the country’s largest landowner.
He noted that the state still spends R6 billion each year on leased private accommodation. Macpherson added that self-serving officials continue to manipulate leasing processes for their own benefit.
“There’s not a single member who could disagree that there needs to be significant change,” he told MPs. “I’m also under no illusions that there is an obvious fightback against our oversight with extreme cases of sabotage and acts of go-slows.”