Cape Town - All eyes will be on President Jacob Zuma in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Zuma could face a hostile National Assembly when he shows up to answer oral questions, despite his confirmation on Monday that he had paid back R7.8 million for the non-security upgrades at his Nkandla homestead.
Zuma said on Monday that he took a home loan from VBS Mutual Bank to settle the account, as ordered by the Constitutional Court in March.
The Treasury confirmed that Zuma had paid back the money.
But opposition parties have been unanimous in their demand for Zuma to provide proof and have clamoured for him to present evidence in Parliament on Tuesday.
The Gupta scandals that have swirled around Zuma are also expected to feature prominently when MPs pose questions to Zuma on Tuesday.
This is coupled with the fight for the control of the Treasury in Zuma’s so-called war with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Zuma has denied he is at war with Gordhan, but his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, reiterated his call on Friday that the state must put an end to a war with itself.
The opposition wants to know the rationale for Zuma to form and drive a new powerful council to be in charge of State-Owned Entities (SOE).
Some SOEs are at odds with Gordhan over investigations into dealings with the Guptas.
Eskom and Denel have come out fighting against the National Treasury and Gordhan, but Eskom appeared to have backed down after it co-operated with the Treasury investigations into its coal contracts with the Guptas.
Gordhan has said he will also not back down on investigations into corruption in state tenders.
A few weeks ago, the cabinet announced that Zuma will head a new SOE Presidential Council. This is despite the fact that Ramaphosa is leading an Inter-Ministerial Committee on SOEs.
But Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe denied that Zuma was usurping power from Ramaphosa’s Inter-Ministerial Committee. He said Ramaphosa will continue to lead his SOE team and Zuma will have broad oversight of SOEs.
Radabe said this new council, under Zuma, will be of the same stature as the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordination Commission (PICC).
The PICC is chaired by Zuma and oversees mega infrastructure projects worth billions of rand.
The government has invested R1.4 trillion in infrastructure projects for the next 15 years.
Zuma will have a tough time answering questions on his exact role in overseeing SOEs in the new structure.
Opposition parties are also expected to raise questions about "state capture" and the Guptas. The family has been in the news over Eskom and Denel dealings.
Last week, Denel denied in Parliament that the Guptas would benefit R12 billion from its joint venture. It said the amount is R400 million.
The economy will also come under the spotlight during Zuma’s Q&A set to begin at 2pm.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane has said he will ask Zuma: “What plan of action does the government have in place to avoid (a sovereign ratings downgrade later this year) and to ensure that the poor are not adversely affected, that jobs are created and that investors still see South Africa as a safe, desirable investment destination?”
Political Bureau