Siyabonga Mkhwanazi
NOT only has President Jacob Zuma got off scot-free from having to pay for non-security upgrades at Nkandla, he may get more of the same, at the expense of the public purse.
This shock development is in Police Minister Nathi Nhleko’s Nkandla report tabled in Parliament yesterday.
Nhleko found Zuma did not have to pay back any of the R246 million in public money, which was met with outrage last night.
Nhleko’s 50-page report contradicts Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s finding that Zuma must pay for non-security upgrades at Nkandla. Nhleko deemed Zuma’s kraal, chicken run, visitors’ centre, swimming pool and amphitheatre security measures.
In his report Nhleko said while the Department of Public Works had initially said Zuma needed to pay back R10m, this was reduced to R3m and it was then dropped.
Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, who was in the same briefing with Nhleko in Parliament, said the money was dropped because no one in Public Works accounted for it.
It was based on an unsigned letter by an official in his department, who gave no justification or explanation for Zuma to pay back either R10m or R3m, said Nxesi.
In his report Nhleko found that there were justifiable reasons for the building of a kraal, a chicken run, a visitors’ centre, a swimming pool and an amphitheatre.
While these may have been deemed by the public protector to be non-security features, Nhleko said they added to the security of the president.
The amphitheatre was needed in case of an emergency.
The visitors’ centre was to host locals and guests of Zuma when he was at home, and conducting his business.
He said more security measures would have to be undertaken at Zuma’s home.
However, Nxesi said the costing has not been done for further upgrades.
In a media briefing in Parliament earlier, Nhleko said: ”The positioning and security-related purpose of some of these features have been to (keep out) the general public as well as hostile forces that may pose a threat to state security.”
He had looked at five other reports before making a determination.
In her report last year, titled “Secure in Comfort”, Madonsela found that Zuma had unduly benefited from the upgrades at his house.
And he needed to pay back a portion which had to be determined by government structures and institutions.
Opposition parties in Parliament warned last night they would not take the matter lying down, threatened legal action against Nhleko and Zuma, and said they were insulting the intelligence of South Africans. They say they will be taking up the matter in Parliament.
But the ruling ANC’s chief whip, Stone Sizani, said they welcomed the report.
The DA, EFF, IFP and ACDP said they would not allow Zuma to get away with this, and want him to pay back every cent he owed the people..
EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said Nhleko was insulting the intelligence of the people.
“The EFF remains steadfast in its demand that the public protector’s recommendations and remedial action must be respected and unconditionally adhered to,” Ndlozi said.
“The public protector said Zuma must pay back the money and for as long as this is not happening, the EFF will use every opportunity in Parliament to demand Zuma must pay.”
IFP MP Narend Singh said they were shocked by Nhleko’s decision and said he was insulting the intelligence of the people of South Africa.
ACDP leader the Rev Kenneth Meshoe also expressed shock at Nhleko’s findings, warning that he was allowing the president to get off scot-free.