Media invitation: South African Police Service lease agreement

The Honourable Minister of Public Works, Ms Gwendoline Mahlangu-Nkabinde, has noted with great concern recent media reports which create an unfortunate impression that the Minister is unwilling to meet with the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, with reference to the South African Police Service (SAPS) lease agreement for accommodation both in Pretoria and Durban. As the political head of the department the minister is deeply concerned about the unsavoury media reports around her department.

The Minister further wishes to categorically state - for the record that she has tried to meet with the Public Protector, but was informed that the Public Protector was out of the country. It is the Minister’s expressed intention; desire and determination to cooperate fully with the office of the Public Protector as required by law.

As a result the Minister is awaiting a preferred date, hopefully very soon, from the office of the Public Protector with the sole purpose of discussing face-to-face matters which relate to reports about the said lease agreement. Contrary to media statements which seeks to claim, and falsely so, that the Minister of Public Works is involved in procurement processes, it need to be noted that the Minister does not at all get involved in such operational and administrative activities nor does she take decisions on matters of procurement.

It is in this light that the Minister views the misleading reports about the lease agreement between the Department of Public Works and Roux Property Fund seriously to an extent that the Minister is in consultations with the relevant government institutions to ensure that the Minister arrives at a proper conclusion on this matter.

Therefore the Minister would like to call upon all relevant stakeholders, including the media, to await proper outcome on the matter, which will be made known publicly. The Minister would furthermore like to assure the public that this matter will be addressed in a manner consistent to her obligations to the constitution and the laws of the land.