Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has committed to return to Parliament to answer questions on paying back the money on the Nkandla upgrades.
However, Zuma said on Thursday the question of payment would be determined by the report of the Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko, to be released at the end of March.
Zuma finally got to answer oral questions after an-hour-and-a-quarter standoff between opposition MPs and Speaker Baleka Mbete on the dates for the president to respond to the Nkandla matter.
In his oral reply to EFF leader Julius Malema’s question that he is interfering with the National Prosecuting Authority Zuma denied that he ever dogged questions on Nkandla.
He said both the DA and EFF and other opposition parties have been feeding the public a lie that he has been refusing to answer questions on the payment of the upgrades at his house.
“Once Parliament has taken a decision, whether tomorrow, I have always complied,” Zuma told the House.
This was in reference to the meeting of the programming committee on Thursday, which will decide on another date for Zuma to respond on Nkandla questions.
The questions were left over from the sitting of last August, when the EFF disrupted proceedings.
He accused the opposition of not being honest in public on the matter.
“This is what you have fed the country, an untruth. The fact that there were questions left unanswered is not my responsibility,” said Zuma on the disruption last August.
The president also dismissed claims that he is supposed to pay any money on the upgrades.
“Never have I thought of paying back the money, I will not be paying back the money without the determination of those authorised by the Public Protector (Thuli Madonsela),” said Zuma in response to the EFF.
Zuma said Nhleko would at the end of March make a report on whether to pay any money on Nkandla, based on the recommendations of the Public Protector.
He said two reports have cleared him on the use of public funds at his house.
“The public protector made the same finding that I never took a penny. She made recommendations. Recommendations are recommendations, they are not verdicts. Parliament, an appropriate body, made specific directions,” he added.
Political Bureau