Eviction looming for former MK Party MPs from parliamentary residences

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has issued an ultimatum to three former MPs from the MK Party to move from subsidised parliamentary villages or face eviction proceedings.

Former MPs Garatwe Agnes Mogotsi, France Bongani Mfiki, and Nomade Grace Mgwebi lost their parliamentary seats just three months after being sworn in.

The trio, part of a group of 10 MPs, contested their removal in court in 2024, but their application was dismissed with costs by the Western Cape High Court.

Following their dismissal, the three MPs have remained in residences at Acacia Park, Pelican Park, and Laboria Park - a decision that has raised concerns about their continued occupancy.

The issue of three MPs came to light after Freedom Front Plus MP Philip van Staden asked parliamentary questions to Minister Dean Macpherson on whether any persons other than those who qualify for parliamentary accommodation lived in the parliamentary villages.

The 666 residential units at the parliamentary villages accommodate MPs, sessional officials, support staff to disabled MPs, party political and parliamentary staff, and Department of Public Works and Infrastructure officials performing standby duties.

MPs are ordinarily given a month to move out of their parliamentary accommodation when they no longer serve as public representatives.

Macpherson named Mogotsi, Mgwebi, and Mfiki, as well as an official of the Transport Department, as another person not qualifying for parliamentary accommodation.

Department spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said the former MPs were allocated residences in line with the benefits to which all elected public representatives are entitled.

“However, after losing their seats, they refused to vacate the residences, citing an unresolved legal dispute with the party that deployed them to Parliament. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is not involved in this legal dispute and, therefore, believes that the rule of law must apply,” said Mabaso.

When MPs lose their seats, they are required to vacate their residences in the parliamentary villages.

“South African law requires us to follow a process to evict people, including an order of the court,” said Mabaso.

He added that the Office of the State Attorney issued correspondence to the former MPs in December 2025, instructing them to vacate the parliamentary villages by the end of January 2026.

“Should they fail to do so, we will urgently approach the High Court for an eviction order with costs against them. No one has a right to occupy State property that they do not qualify for unlawfully,” Mabaso said.

All three MPs could not be reached for comment. Mfiki did not respond to a media query sent via inbox on his Facebook account, while the contact numbers of Mogotsi and Mgwebi could not be obtained.

According to Mabaso, the department is not receiving any rental payments from the axed MPs.

In an effort to address the problem of people who occupy parliamentary accommodation when they do not qualify, Mabaso said: “The department has directed its legal services division to amend its lease agreements with all MPs going forward to include more stringent measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring.”

Meanwhile, Macpherson has provided the expenditure on water, electricity, sewage removal, and other municipal charges that were incurred at the parliamentary villages over the past two years.

The department spent R11,301,239 on municipal water for the financial year 2023/24, up from R9,095,335.69 incurred in the financial year 2024/25.

Macpherson also said the municipal electricity expenditure for 2023/24 was R10,084,286. This increased from R9,661,432 incurred in the following financial year.

The costs for sewage removal came to the tune of R8,665,021 in 2023/24 and were recorded at R7,430,368 in 2024/25.

Macpherson told Van Staden that costs were recovered only from the illegal residents who are being charged a market-related rental, a portion of the rent, which amounts to R150 allocated towards municipal services.

“The total amount collected over the two previous financial years is R12,300,” he said, adding that the department currently has no plans to review the fee.

Macpherson said historically, all MPs and sessional officials have been exempted from paying for municipal service-related costs.

“The department has always been responsible for the payment of municipal services.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za