Dept clarifies R32m upgrades to KZN Premier's residence

Dept clarifies R32m upgrades to KZN Premier's residence

The KZN Public Works Department has moved to set the record straight, following reports of multi-million-Rand renovations to the Premier's official residence in Pietermaritzburg.   

Willies Mchunu
Khatija Nxedlana


Last week, there were media reports that Premier Willies Mchunu confirmed to the DA that renovations were being done to his Parkside residence.  


In the response to the opposition party, Mchunu also reportedly confirmed that the estimated cost of the work on the property's been put at over R32-million.   


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Public Works provincial spokesperson, Kiru Naidoo has stressed the amount is a projected figure over a seven-year period.


"No R32-million has been spent on that property. At present, only about R800 000 has been put into renovations. Any remaining programme over a seven-year period is still under discussion and whatever is provided for in that master-plan - for renovations - will have to go through a justification process before any further work is done," he says. 


The department says the work includes an upgrade of external water reticulation and ground-works, upgrades of two conference centres and security installations.


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