Cape Town - A DA delegation will visit Nkandla on Sunday following the storm surrounding President Jacob Zuma’s R250 million private homestead upgrade by the Public Works Department.
It is part of an effort by the opposition party to turn up the heat on Zuma and the government. The delegation will include DA leader Helen Zille, national spokesman Mmusi Maimane, DA KZN leader Sizwe Mchunu, DA Limpopo leader Jacques Smalle and DA KZN chairman Haniff Hoosen, and journalists.
Zille’s national DA office chief of staff, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said they were going to see for themselves what was happening in Nkandla because of media reports and as part of their duties as the official opposition party.
“We need to go and see for ourselves what this money has been spent on. The government refuses to tell us what has been built, how much it costs, and for what purpose - so we’re going to see for ourselves,” he said.
Hill-Lewis said he was sure the DA would be welcome. “If there is nothing to hide, and the president has nothing to be embarrassed about, then we should be made to feel welcome. We can’t let the ANC get away with such profound disrespect for ordinary people, especially the poor. We have a duty to pursue the Nkandla and Zumaville scandals until someone is made accountable for it.”
Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj did not respond to questions sent on Thursday to him about the visit.
The scandal broke after the City Press revealed that the Public Works Department had approved the budget in March last year, despite earlier claims by the department that Zuma was funding it from his own pocket.
According to official departmental documentation, the president would only pay R10.6 million himself, which was less than 5 percent of the total cost, to revamp his family compound in Nxamalala village.
The work, which includes the building of a helipad, underground bunkers and fencing around the entire complex, was started in 2010. Public Works documents showed that payments had been made for the “installation of security measures” by June this year.
The property was declared a national key point in April 2010 by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
The DA plans to try to modify legislation set out in the National Key Point Act of 1980, which Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi has repeatedly used to defend details of the upgrade.
Zuma told the Foreign Correspondents Association this week that the upgrade was for security purposes.
The Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, is investigating Zuma’s residence and, separately, a planned R2 billion town in Nkandla, dubbed Zumaville.
Cape Argus