Three former MK Party Members of Parliament have been handed a firm deadline to vacate subsidised parliamentary accommodation or risk being forcibly removed through the courts.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has confirmed that Garatwe Agnes Mogotsi, France Bongani Mfiki and Nomade Grace Mgwebi are no longer entitled to live in parliamentary villages after losing their seats just three months into their term.
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Despite no longer serving in Parliament, the trio have continued occupying state-owned residences, sparking renewed scrutiny over the misuse of public resources.
Former MK Party MPs Defy Rules on Parliamentary Housing
The three ex-MPs were part of a group of 10 lawmakers who were removed from Parliament and later attempted to challenge the decision in court. Their legal bid was dismissed with costs by the Western Cape High Court in 2024.
Following the ruling, Mogotsi, Mfiki and Mgwebi remained in parliamentary villages at Acacia Park, Pelican Park and Laboria Park — a move that raised red flags within Parliament and government.
The issue surfaced after Freedom Front Plus MP Philip van Staden submitted parliamentary questions to Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson, asking whether individuals who no longer qualify were still living in parliamentary accommodation.
There are 666 residential units across parliamentary villages, which are reserved for sitting MPs, sessional officials, assistants to disabled MPs, parliamentary and party staff, as well as departmental officials on standby duty.
Under standard parliamentary rules, MPs are required to vacate these residences within one month of leaving office.
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Public Works Issues Ultimatum and Legal Warning
Macpherson confirmed that Mogotsi, Mgwebi and Mfiki were among those still occupying parliamentary housing unlawfully, along with one official from the Department of Transport.
Department spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said the former MPs were initially housed in accordance with benefits afforded to elected representatives.
“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.
He added that eviction could not happen automatically and required legal processes to be followed.
“South African law requires us to follow a process to evict people, including an order of the court,” said Mabaso.
According to the department, the Office of the State Attorney formally instructed the former MPs in December 2025 to leave the properties 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.
Taxpayers Foot the Bill as Costs Mount
Mabaso confirmed that the department is not receiving any rental payments from the three former MPs, despite their continued occupation of state housing.
Efforts to obtain comment from the trio were unsuccessful. Mfiki did not respond to a media query sent via Facebook, while contact details for Mogotsi and Mgwebi could not be sourced.
In response to the situation, the department has moved to tighten future lease agreements.
“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,” Mabaso said.
Macpherson also disclosed the cost of municipal services at parliamentary villages over the past two financial years. Spending on water rose to R11,301,239 in 2023/24, compared to R9,095,335.69 in 2024/25.
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Electricity costs stood at R10,084,286 in 2023/24, up from R9,661,432 in the subsequent year, while sewage removal amounted to R8,665,021 in 2023/24 and R7,430,368 in 2024/25.
Macpherson said only illegal occupants are billed for services at a market-related rental, with R150 of that amount allocated to municipal charges.
“The total amount collected over the two previous financial years is R12,300,” he said, adding that there are currently no plans to revise the fee.
He also confirmed that MPs and sessional officials have historically not been required to pay for municipal services.
“The department has always been responsible for the payment of municipal services.”
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