Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda has still not moved into his official residence a month after a media exposé of his R4 000-a-night stay at Cape Town's five-star hotels.
Nyanda has been staying at The Twelve Apostles and Mount Nelson hotels, costing the taxpayer a minimum of R4 000 a night. This is despite an official residence, a plush mansion in upper Claremont, provided for him when he took office in May last year. He has not spent a single night in the mansion since then.
His spokesperson, Tiyani Rikhotso, said two weeks ago that Nyanda had been living in hotels because his ministerial mansion was not ready for occupation.
This week, staff at Mount Nelson and The Twelve Apostles said Nyanda no longer lived at the hotels. Rikhotso failed to answer questions about where Nyanda was now staying.
The Cape Times visited the house and learnt that Nyanda had not moved in, but visited every now and then, to drop off his valuables.
Two SAPF officers guarded the house every day and a domestic worker made sure it was spick and span.
A police officer said he had been guarding the house since last year, but had never seen Nyanda there. He confirmed Nyanda had not moved in.
The Cape Times has been trying for days to get comment from Rikhotso. He did not respond to e-mails, phone calls and messages left at his office.
Democratic Alliance shadow deputy minister of Communications Lindiwe Mazibuko said it had been more than a month since she had submitted parliamentary questions to Nyanda, asking how much his stay at the five-star hotels had cost the taxpayer. She had not received a response.
A Mail and Guardian article stated last month that Nyanda stayed in the hotels an average of four nights when he visited Cape Town to attend Parliament. If he attended all National Assembly and special sittings since taking office, he would have spent about 88 nights in Cape hotels.
According to the article, Nyanda ran up a bill of R33 330 between February 6 and 12 in accommodation, food, mini-bar expenses and laundry services at the Twelve Apostles. From February 14 to 19 the hotel billed Nyanda R21 417 for four nights' accommodation and food.
Nyanda was criticised last year for buying two luxury German cars, each worth well over R1-million.
Nyanda has been staying at The Twelve Apostles and Mount Nelson hotels, costing the taxpayer a minimum of R4 000 a night. This is despite an official residence, a plush mansion in upper Claremont, provided for him when he took office in May last year. He has not spent a single night in the mansion since then.
His spokesperson, Tiyani Rikhotso, said two weeks ago that Nyanda had been living in hotels because his ministerial mansion was not ready for occupation.
This week, staff at Mount Nelson and The Twelve Apostles said Nyanda no longer lived at the hotels. Rikhotso failed to answer questions about where Nyanda was now staying.
The Cape Times visited the house and learnt that Nyanda had not moved in, but visited every now and then, to drop off his valuables.
Two SAPF officers guarded the house every day and a domestic worker made sure it was spick and span.
A police officer said he had been guarding the house since last year, but had never seen Nyanda there. He confirmed Nyanda had not moved in.
The Cape Times has been trying for days to get comment from Rikhotso. He did not respond to e-mails, phone calls and messages left at his office.
Democratic Alliance shadow deputy minister of Communications Lindiwe Mazibuko said it had been more than a month since she had submitted parliamentary questions to Nyanda, asking how much his stay at the five-star hotels had cost the taxpayer. She had not received a response.
A Mail and Guardian article stated last month that Nyanda stayed in the hotels an average of four nights when he visited Cape Town to attend Parliament. If he attended all National Assembly and special sittings since taking office, he would have spent about 88 nights in Cape hotels.
According to the article, Nyanda ran up a bill of R33 330 between February 6 and 12 in accommodation, food, mini-bar expenses and laundry services at the Twelve Apostles. From February 14 to 19 the hotel billed Nyanda R21 417 for four nights' accommodation and food.
Nyanda was criticised last year for buying two luxury German cars, each worth well over R1-million.
- Cape Times
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