Zuma to pay for Nkandla upgrades

President Jacob Zuma has ultimately decided to pay back the money used to upgrade his Nkandla homestead.

In an unprecedented move the presidency announced late on 2 February that Pres Zuma proposed an end to the drawn-out legal controversy regarding the public protector’s report.

The statement issued by Presidency read that Pres Zuma proposed a simple course of action to implement what the public protector recommended as remedial action contained in the report.

However, Pres Zuma remained critical of a number of factual aspects and legal conclusions in the report.

The Constitutional Court is due to hear the matter on 9 February. “President Zuma has maintained his willingness to contribute to any increase in value to his property, objectively determined, as required by the Public Protector,” the statement read.

The Public Protector’s report identified irregularities that occurred in the course of upgrades by the Department of Public Works, in liaison with other departments, to the traditional family home the President has had at Nkandla for many years.

“The President proposes that the determination of the amount he is to pay, should be independently and impartially determined. Given the objection by one of the parties, to the involvement of SAPS, as the Public Protector herself had required, the Auditor-General and Minister of Finance be requested by the court, through appropriate designees, to conduct the exercise directed by the Public Protector,” statement further read.

Details: The Presidency bonganim@presidency.gov.za.

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