The government is in the process of buying a R3.3-million house for National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele, Beeld newspaper reported on Friday.

"This decision [to buy the property] is informed by policy," his spokesperson, Nonkululeko Mbatha told Sapa in response to the report in the Afrikaans daily.

She did not want to comment on the price of the house, which Beeld, citing reliable sources, said was selling for R2.9-million in Waterkloofrif, Pretoria.

But the government has already approved an amount of R3.37-million to buy the house, which must adhere to Cele's "security needs".

"I won't be entertaining the issue of figures," Mbatha said.

"The house belongs to the police like any other government house."

She said the decision to purchase the house was done according to due processes with the department of public works.

Beeld quoted from a letter from deputy commissioner Hamilton Hlela to the department of public works on 7 September, in which it is asked to finalise the purchase "urgently".

According to the letter, "several attempts were made to get a state residence but these were unsuccessful and to rent is not cost-efficient".

Several ministers, including Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, have recently come under fire for huge expenditure on luxury lifestyles.