‘Only R71m spent on Nkandla security’

Published Jul 1, 2015

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Pretoria - Only R71 million was spent on security features installed at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home, while R135.2m was spent on 21 houses, apparently to be used by police and defence force personnel.

Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko told a media briefing on Tuesday that it was not clear who authorised the building of the 21 thatched houses, but said they were built outside the periphery fencing of Zuma’s homestead.

These houses had nothing to do with security upgrades as they are not located within the perimeter of the homestead, Nhleko said.

The minister was hosted by the National Press Club on Tuesday.

During a media briefing about his report’s findings, Nhleko said the 21 houses were meant to be used by police and SANDF members. However, they remain unoccupied.

Nhleko said he failed to understand why R135.2m was included in the total cost of the Nkandla project which amounted to R207m, and not the R246m repeatedly reported.

“R50 million was spent on security upgrades, R135.2 million was spent on the 21 houses which are not within the perimeter of the president’s homestead, while R20.7 million was spent on consultation fees for experts and engineers. I cannot account for the R40 million widely reported on in the media,” he said.

“The outstanding questions arising from this report is who decided to construct those houses for R135 million and why did they lump it with the security upgrades?”

However, the minister said investigating this was beyond the directive he was given by Parliament’s ad hoc committee, which was to investigate the debatable firepool, amphitheatre, cattle kraal and chicken run, culvert and visitors’ lounge.

Nhleko justified the need for adding these security features to Zuma’s home which were questioned in the public protector’s report. His report was characterised by video material illustrating how the swimming pool constructed at Nkandla for nearly R4m would not be limited to recreational use but for firefighting purposes as well.

In another video, Nhleko demonstrated how the amphitheatre was not for entertainment, but to reinforce a road nearby which is used by heavy armoured vehicles.

He said he could not find any evidence indicating that Zuma or his family had requested any of the security features.

“After studying all the reports, I could not come across any evidence or record where either the president or a member of his family requested that any security features should be installed,” Nhleko said.

The security upgrades installed were necessary, he said. Due to the rigorous reports which scrutinised the security of Zuma’s private home, this could result in a re-evaluation of the security as the president and his family were now liable to a breach as the details of the features were in the public domain, he added.

Nhleko said critics of the expenditure at Nkandla must prove that the upgrades were not necessitated by security needs. “There has been quite a lot of talk but I don’t think we understand the issues at a much closer range. Let’s talk on the basis of facts. If you say the visitors’ lounge is not a security feature, present evidence before me to prove that indeed it is not,” said Nhleko.

The media and some opposition parties were peddling incorrect figures on the Nkandla expenditure, he charged.

“According to the media and some opposition parties, the prestige project as we call it, cost R246 million. This was carried widely across various media lines. Media24 even suggested that the figure went up to R247 million.”

Nhleko said the cost for the installation of security features amounted to R71m. He said more than R20m was paid to consultants and R135m was paid for construction of military and police staff quarters and a clinic.

Nhleko’s much-awaited report, released in May, concluded that the pool, as well as a kraal, amphitheatre and visitors’ centre were all essential for the president’s security.

According to Nhleko, Zuma does not have to repay the State a cent for the millions of rand used in the upgrades to his home. – Additional reporting ANA

Pretoria News

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