Too inferior for ministers

Staff Writer | Thursday June 13, 2013 00:00

 

Government is spending millions of Pula in refurbishment of two houses to satisfy the taste of two ministers who will be occupying them in the near future. Although he was cagey with the details, government spokesperson Dr Jeff Ramsay confirmed that indeed, two ministerial houses are undergoing refurbishment and will be allocated to two ministers in the near future. He would not confirm whether the reports that among the ministers to get refurbished houses is President Ian Khama's younger brother, Tshekedi Khama.

Ramsay said that the house that was initially occupied by Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe has since been reallocated to another minister, who he did not name. He denied that government is paying a house allowance to Assistant Minister Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri who commutes from Molepolole. He would not disclose whether Matlhabaphiri uses a government vehicle.Ramsay would not confirm whether the two houses being refurbished were part of the 16 ministerial houses built recently using P5 million a unit. 'These are outside this ministry. You can try to follow up kamoso,' Ramsay said. Efforts to get more information yesterday proved futile as his mobile phone rang unanswered in the evening.

Government used to pay P12,000 plus as housing allowance to ministers, but later built 16 housing units for them towards the end of 2009 to save costs. The house that Kedikilwe occupied before moving to State House II was unoccupied for months. When Kedikilwe moved, the only minister who did not have a house was Tshekedi who had just been appointed Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism succeeding Kitso Mokaila.