Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma put his foot down on Wednesday when he reacted to claims from opposition parties that he was shirking his responsibility to Parliament by dodging questions on the controversial security upgrades to his private Nkandla homestead.
In his first one-on-one session with MPs in the National Assembly since August 21 last year when he was prevented from concluding his replies to oral questions, Zuma vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Nkandla and said he would not “pay back the money” just yet.
“There is no money I am going to be paying back without a determination by those authorised to do so as recommended by the Public Protector,” a visibly irate Zuma said, lashing out at his detractors in opposition party benches.
“The Public Protector has not said ‘pay back the money’. The Public Protector has said because there was in her view undue benefits to the family and myself, she thinks this money might be payed back, but it should be determined by the minister of police. That determination has not been done,” Zuma said, to loud heckling from opposition benches.
Zuma was referring to the 2014 report by the Public Protector which recommended that Zuma reimburse South African taxpayers a portion of the R246 million spent on security upgrades at Nkandla, finding that the president unduly benefited from the upgrades.
Zuma insisted Police Minister Nathi Nhleko would submit a report on this matter some time in March.
“Why are you saying I must pay back the money? You don’t even know how much. You don’t even know the final answer on whether I will have to pay back the money,” Zuma said, pointing at opposition benches.
This resulted in objections from MPs of the Economic Freedom Fighters, who pleaded with Speaker Baleka Mbete to admonish him.
“Honourable member, maybe the president should withdraw the finger,” Mbete said.
A giggling Zuma replied: “I withdraw my finger.”
MPs howled with laughter as Zuma took his index finger and physically withdrew it.
Comments and follow-up questions from firebrand MP and leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, appeared to anger the president at times.
“Really Mr President, we have a problem because that report (by the Public Protector) was released almost 12 months now,” Malema said.
Zuma insisted he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
“There is no case against me about Nkandla. No pending arrest. Nothing,” Zuma said.
“When the headlines came, they said I squandered 250 million. The task team of the government investigated and they did not find that I took even a penny. The SIU (Special Investigating Unit) also investigated. They didn’t find that I took even a penny.”
He insisted that although Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found he should pay back a portion of the R246 million used on the Nkandla project, her recommendations weren’t cast in stone.
“It’s only a judge’s verdict that says we have either to go to prison or pay the money,” Zuma said.
Earlier during the sitting, Zuma caused a stir when he repeatedly failed to follow a directive from Speaker Baleka Mbete who asked him to sit down so she could give an MP a chance to raise his objections.
Malema was outraged, telling Mbete: “The president did not listen to you. Please express yourself. All of us in this House must be treated as equals.”
Malema said Mbete was creating a dangerous precedent by allowing the president to disobey her.
“The president is not anybody’s equal here the same as honourable (Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu) Buthelezi is not our equal here, so I don’t want us to be confused about the issues here,” Mbete retorted.
“From what I was seeing, he was in full flight... responding... so I couldn’t quite figure out whether he was hearing me.”
Zuma confirmed he did not hear Mbete.
“I never heard you stay stop because people were shouting,” the president said.
United Democratic Movement MP Bantu Holomisa appeared to further irritate Zuma when he asked whether the president would take voluntary leave while the Nkandla matter was being finalised.
“Given the seriousness of the wide-ranging allegations against yourself... would you find it appropriate for you to take a sabbatical leave while relevant institutions conduct their investigations?
“In the case of civil servants this best practice has always secured credibility of the process which precedes criminal charges,” Holomisa said.
Zuma, who at this stage appeared much more relaxed, asked Holomisa: “How can I take a sabbatical leave when there is no allegations against me?
Zuma made light of Holomisa’s question by saying that the fact that he was a politician and a leader meant people would always find something to say about him.
“I can’t take a leave because people are saying there’s a Zuma in the country.”
Zuma was able to complete the question-and-answer session, barring a few interruptions.
On August 21 last year, Mbete suspended proceedings after EFF MPs refused to let Zuma complete his replies in the National Assembly when they chanted “pay back the money”, referring to the Public Protector’s report.
The “security upgrades” at Zuma’s home included a swimming pool, cattle kraal and chicken run.
ANA