Johannesburg - The ANC Women's League on Friday rejected what it called the “opportunistic posture” taken by some political parties since the release of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home.
“The Public Protector's report... is substantially no different to the inter-ministerial task team report already in the public domain,” it said in a statement.
It claimed that both reports came to the same conclusion, by apparently finding that the state had not spent any money on Zuma's home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.
The league further claimed that Madonsela's report found there was no political interference in the renovations at Nkandla.
On Wednesday, Madonsela said Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from upgrades and that government was responsible for it.
“It is common cause that in the name of security, government built for the president and his family in his private (home), a visitors' centre, cattle kraal and chicken run, swimming pool, and amphitheatre among others,” she said in her findings.
“The president and his family clearly benefited from this.”
Madonsela said Zuma should have asked questions about the scale, costs, and affordability of security upgrades which could end up being as much as R240 million.
In December, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said allegations that Zuma used state resources for the upgrades were unfounded.
“The requirement to provide security for presidents, both sitting and retired, remains the responsibility of government,” he said at the time while releasing a report by the inter-ministerial task team.
He said a total of R206 420 644 was spent on the upgrade.
Sapa