Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has found that President Jacob Zuma was not liable for any costs for “non-security” features at his Nkandla homestead.
Nhleko said that the firepool‚ amphitheatre‚ kraal‚ chicken run and visitor’s centre at the president’s Nkandla home were all security features.
In summarising his 51-page investigation into the features‚ which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela questioned as being security related‚ Nhleko said not only were they security features‚ but investigations showed some needed to be urgently upgraded and fixed.
He said the fire pool was “the most important security feature” while the animal enclosure and chicken run were “critical security components”.
The visitor’s centre was “strategic as well as crucial” while the amphitheatre had a “clear security purpose”.
Nhleko said the president was “entitled to all the rights that every citizen enjoys” including the right to privacy.
“While the pursuit of a just and corruption-free society is noble‚ this pursuit should be conducted in an objective and fair manner so that its very intent is not undermined‚” he said.
Earlier‚ opposition leader Mmusi Maimane announced that the report exonerated Zuma from having to repay any taxpayer funds.
“As expected the Minister of Police who works for President Zuma has determined that does not owe us a cent‚” Maimane said on Twitter.
The ongoing controversy around Nkandla has seen the phrase #PayBackTheMoney become part of everyday lexicon‚ after the Economic Freedom Fighters disrupted the president’s nationally televised question-and-answer session in parliament in August last year.
The EFF call was in line with the recommendation by the Public Protector.
In her March 2014 report‚ Madonsela found that Zuma had enjoyed undue benefits from non-security-related upgrades and recommended that Zuma should pay back a percentage of the R246-million spent on security upgrades to his private home.
In her explosive 443-page report titled “Secure in Comfort”‚ Madonsela found that Zuma and his immediate family unduly benefited from measures implemented in the “name of security”.
She identified these as including the visitors’ centre‚ swimming pool‚ amphitheatre, cattle kraal with culvert and chicken run.
She also found that a private medical clinic would also benefit the family in perpetuity.
Madonsela said she had found that Zuma not only knew about the fancy upgrades but personally requested the construction of the cattle kraal and changes to the design of the bullet-proof windows.
In addition to his private architect‚ Minenhle Makhanya – who Madonsela found benefited to the tune of a massive R16.2-million – a private project manager was appointed at a cost of R5-million after Zuma twice complained in 2010 about the slow progress of the construction.
Madonsela found that though Zuma might not have wilfully misled parliament in 2012 when he said taxpayers did not pay for any of his houses‚ his failure to protect state resources violated the Executive Ethics Code.
It’s all in the name of security
Nhleko said that the firepool‚ amphitheatre‚ kraal‚ chicken run and visitor’s centre at the president’s Nkandla home were all security features.
In summarising his 51-page investigation into the features‚ which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela questioned as being security related‚ Nhleko said not only were they security features‚ but investigations showed some needed to be urgently upgraded and fixed.
He said the fire pool was “the most important security feature” while the animal enclosure and chicken run were “critical security components”.
The visitor’s centre was “strategic as well as crucial” while the amphitheatre had a “clear security purpose”.
Nhleko said the president was “entitled to all the rights that every citizen enjoys” including the right to privacy.
“While the pursuit of a just and corruption-free society is noble‚ this pursuit should be conducted in an objective and fair manner so that its very intent is not undermined‚” he said.
Earlier‚ opposition leader Mmusi Maimane announced that the report exonerated Zuma from having to repay any taxpayer funds.
“As expected the Minister of Police who works for President Zuma has determined that does not owe us a cent‚” Maimane said on Twitter.
The ongoing controversy around Nkandla has seen the phrase #PayBackTheMoney become part of everyday lexicon‚ after the Economic Freedom Fighters disrupted the president’s nationally televised question-and-answer session in parliament in August last year.
The EFF call was in line with the recommendation by the Public Protector.
In her March 2014 report‚ Madonsela found that Zuma had enjoyed undue benefits from non-security-related upgrades and recommended that Zuma should pay back a percentage of the R246-million spent on security upgrades to his private home.
In her explosive 443-page report titled “Secure in Comfort”‚ Madonsela found that Zuma and his immediate family unduly benefited from measures implemented in the “name of security”.
She identified these as including the visitors’ centre‚ swimming pool‚ amphitheatre, cattle kraal with culvert and chicken run.
She also found that a private medical clinic would also benefit the family in perpetuity.
Madonsela said she had found that Zuma not only knew about the fancy upgrades but personally requested the construction of the cattle kraal and changes to the design of the bullet-proof windows.
In addition to his private architect‚ Minenhle Makhanya – who Madonsela found benefited to the tune of a massive R16.2-million – a private project manager was appointed at a cost of R5-million after Zuma twice complained in 2010 about the slow progress of the construction.
Madonsela found that though Zuma might not have wilfully misled parliament in 2012 when he said taxpayers did not pay for any of his houses‚ his failure to protect state resources violated the Executive Ethics Code.
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