Parliament - Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has not received a formal request from President Jacob Zuma to determine whether the president had to repay a portion of state funds spent on his Nkandla home.
“There was no request received by the minister of police from President Zuma regarding determination on whether he is liable for any contributions in respect of security upgrades undertaken at his private residence,” Nhleko said on Thursday.
He was responding to a written parliamentary question from Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota.
The Democratic Alliance said this answer showed Zuma never had any intention of refunding the state for some of the R246 million spent on his KwaZulu-Natal estate as a security upgrade spiralled into excess.
“The DA contends that this reply by the police minister is clear evidence that President Jacob Zuma had no intention of paying back a portion of the R246 million used for ‘security upgrades’ at his home at Nkandla whether it was determined by the police minister, the public protector or anyone else, for that matter,” chairman of the DA's federal executive James Selfe said.
In March, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found Zuma unduly benefited from the project and should, with the help of the police minister, determine which improvements did not relate to security and repay the state a reasonable amount for those.
Zuma, however, in a submission to Parliament on various investigations into the saga, said he would task Nhleko with determining whether he was liable to repay any of the money.
This week a parliamentary ad hoc committee considering Madonsela's report and his response, rejected any notion that Zuma should reimburse the state.
It consists of only ruling party MPs after the opposition walked out in protest at the ANC's reluctance to enforce Madonsela's order.
Sapa