DURBAN - MINENHLE Makhanya, the main architect in the controversial President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home “security upgrades”, is pinning his hopes on the new law firm he has instructed to represent him.
The Sunday Tribune learnt through sources that Makhanya of Minenhle Makhanya Architects had, this week, instructed a uMhlanga based law firm, Anitha D Chetty & Associates, to take over his case.
The special investigating unit’s (SIU) moved to redeem R155million from Makhanya.
But its bid was delayed when his previous lawyers Xulu Attorneys Inc withdrew from the case.
Anitha Chetty confirmed they had been instructed to take over the case but said they were going through huge volumes of files.
She wouldn’t be drawn into commenting further.
According to the former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s “Secure in Comfort” report which probed the Nkandla dealings, Makhanya had made R16.5 million from the project.
The Nkandla upgrades cost R245 million and drew a barrage of criticism for Zuma, who subsequently paid back R7,8 million as requested by the National Treasury.
Earlier this month the SIU’s head Andy Mothibi told members of Parliament they had served their 92 000 pages discovery affidavit and were a step closer to hauling Makhanya to court.
Makhanya’s name was mentioned at least 36 times in Madonsela’s report.
Law expert Shadrack Gutto said: “Why are they only picking on the weaker person rather than the mastermind behind Nkandla.”
Gutto said Makhanya was a scapegoat.
“There are big players who are not pursued because of the positions they hold.”
He said if Makhanya was found guilty and did not have the R155 million, the state would sequestrate his assets.
He said he did not know why Makhanya was chopping and changing his legal representatives.
“But this delayed the
process which I think
should have been put to bed now.”