Durban - Taxpayers forked out about R246 million to upgrade President Jacob Zuma’s home in Nkandla.
Now they’re forking out thousands more to investigate the millions spent.
This week about 30 members of Parliament visited the president’s home.
Most of them flew from Joburg or Cape Town.
They were put up for four nights in hotels in Pietermaritzburg and driven to Nkandla in luxury German sedans.
In addition to the MPs, several support staff from Parliament also made the trip to Nkandla.
The MPs were part of an ad hoc committee that is investigating the security upgrades at Nkandla after a report by Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko found Zuma did not have to pay back a cent.
The Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, also made a trip to Nkandla and found the president had derived undue benefit from the improvements.
She recommended he pay back a portion of the money.
The Special Investigation Unit also investigated and found Zuma’s architect, Minenhle Makhanya, was responsible for the increased costs and has gone to court to try to recoup about R155m from him.
However, not all political parties believed this week’s trip to Nkandla was worth the money.
The EFF and Cope said it was a “fruitless exercise and waste of public funds”.
Both parties have opted not to be a part of the committee.
According to Cope spokesman Dennis Bloem, the cost of the trip was almost R1m.
This included accommodation, food, chauffeur-driven hired cars, flights and a subsistence allowance, which members of Parliament are entitled to if they work away from home.
The EFF’s Godrich Gardee put the cost at about half a million rand.
He said the EFF would lodge a formal complaint with Parliament about the trip to Nkandla.
He said: “This committee will end up spending more of taxpayers’ money than the money spent at Zuma’s home because they want to challenge Madonsela’s report.
“The opposition parties have joined the ANC in squandering public funds. Parliament must dissolve this ad hoc committee and allow Zuma to account for what happened at his home. This will save the country millions of rand,” he said.
However, not everyone agreed.
The chairman of the ad hoc committee, Cedric Frolick, said: “I have no time to respond to allegations made by political parties that are not part of the ad hoc committee. What I know is that we are acting within the rules of Parliament.”
Sunday Tribune