EFF rejects #NkandlaPayback proposal

EFF leader Julius Malema. File picture: Siphiwe Sibeko

EFF leader Julius Malema. File picture: Siphiwe Sibeko

Published Feb 4, 2016

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Johannesburg - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will not be part of any agreement on the Nkandla matter if that deal does not affirm the powers of the office of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and uphold the Constitution, party leader Julius Malema said on Thursday.

“We are not going to agree to any settlement that still undermines the office of the Public Protector, and that doesn’t recognise that her remedial actions are binding. Zuma must also agree that by failing to adhere to the Public Protector’s findings, he was in breach of the Constitution and his office,” Malema told reporters in Johannesburg.

“We are not going to be part of a deal unless these matters are agreed upon.”

Read: #NkandlaPayback: Top 7 quotes from Malema

Malema said the he public protector’s office had suffered humiliation and insults as a result of the Nkandla debacle. Madonsela’s office was not respected anymore, said Malema.

He added that Zuma had attempted “to buy time” by writing to the opposition parties and the Constitutional Court, stating his proposal to pay some of the money spent on upgrades at his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Zuma destroyed the executive and Parliament because of selfishness. Now he comes and says he will pay … he thinks by saying this he will buy time by doing that.

“He went further to try influence the judges sending the court the proposal which he said should be done within 90 days. That was an attempt to influence our judges … fortunately, we have a strong judiciary and responded and told us to come to a conclusion on this litigation matter by Friday.”

Malema urged South Africans to join his EFF party and march to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday next week when the case would be heard.

The state spent about R250 million on security upgrades at Zuma’s private Nkandla residence. But the public protector found that some of the upgrades were not related to security and that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited.

Read: Concourt gives deadline for #Nkandla deal

Malema said there was “no way” a swimming pool and a cattle kraal could be part of security upgrades.

Zuma has written to the registrar of the Constitutional Court with a proposal to pay an amount to be determined by the Auditor-General and the minister of finance for the disputed upgrades.

Both the EFF and the Democratic Alliance have rejected Zuma’s proposal, and indicated that the court case will continue. The matter is set down for February 9, two days before Zuma delivers his State of the Nation address in Parliament.

African News Agency

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