Nkandla: Zuma faces more questions

President Jacob Zuma is facing increased pressure from opposition parties seeking answers about his Nkandla residence. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

President Jacob Zuma is facing increased pressure from opposition parties seeking answers about his Nkandla residence. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Nov 18, 2012

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Johannesburg - Opposition parties on Sunday lashed at President Jacob Zuma for “misleading” Parliament about the bond he had on his house in Nkandla.

“As the president was speaking under his oath of office, he seems to have knowingly misled Parliament and the nation that he had a bond, and this amounts to perjury.

“This is a very serious offence under the Constitution and the law as indicated in Section 89 of the Constitution of the Republic,” said Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota.

The City Press newspaper reported that the land on which Zuma's home stands was owned by the Ingonyama Trust, headed by King Goodwill Zwelithini, which managed 32 percent of all land in KwaZulu-Natal on behalf of the state for the benefit of its occupants.

On Thursday, Zuma told Parliament: “I took the decision to expand my home and I built my home with more rondavels, more than once. And I fenced my home. And I engaged the bank and I'm still paying a bond on my first phase of my home.”

The newspaper said it had been unable to locate public records to support Zuma's claim that the Nkandla property was bonded.

The deed document for the property showed that the Ingonyama Trust was the owner.

Belinda Benson, Ingonyama Trust's property manager, confirmed to City Press that the deeds office records, uncovered by the newspaper, were for Zuma's homestead.

Democratic Alliance leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said: “Serious consequences must follow if President Zuma misled Parliament this past week about having a bond on his private home in Nkandla.

She said what Zuma did reflected negatively on his office and warranted the most urgent and immediate consideration by the National Assembly.

“I will today (Sunday) write to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, and urge him to request clarification from the Presidency as to the reports in the City Press today, as they seriously risk bringing Parliament into disrepute,” Mazibuko said. - Sapa

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