It has been discovered that the provincial government has been "quietly" buying up many buildings around those it already occupies.

According to Pradeep Maharaj, the acting provincial head of the Finance Department, the aim is to establish a government precinct, with its departments interlinked with landscaped walkways.

"Our aim is not only to change our current status of being tenants to owners but to help revitalise the inner city.

"It is too late for the private sector to try to secure any buildings for speculation purposes.

"We have secured all the ones we needed.

"We will be leveraging our position in the CBD and at the same time will be helping Johannesburg to establish itself as a world-class city," Maharaj said.

Although he would not disclose the exact situation of the precinct or provide more details, he said it would be around the buildings that the provincial administration already occupies.

The Gauteng government is renting about 120 000 square metres of office space in Johannesburg.

It moved most of its departments from Pretoria in 1995 when the city was designated as the seat of the provincial government.

Maharaj said full details about the government precinct plan would be announced next month.