ANC ‘not fazed’ Nkandla report leak

No Fear No Favour No Fazing of the ANC Corruption.........

November 30 2013 at 09:50am 
By Craig Dodds

President Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Johannesburg – The ANC is “not fazed” by revelations on Friday that President Jacob Zuma allegedly enjoyed “substantial” personal benefits from R215 million security upgrades at his Nkandla home and stands by him despite opposition calls for his head.

Spokesman Jackson Mthembu said it was “jumping the gun” to call for action to be taken against Zuma, as the details contained in a Mail & Guardian exposé stemmed from a provisional public protector report that could in any case not be verified.

“We don’t understand how people have come to certain conclusions on whatever needs to be done, based on this report which might not be factual, that might not even be agreed to by the public protector herself,” Mthembu said.

“The authority is the public protector, who has a constitutional obligation to speak to the nation on any report.”

He added that a task team report commissioned by the Department of Public Works had cleared Zuma of benefiting improperly from work done at Nkandla.

That, however, is in stark contrast to the reported findings of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s provisional report.

The front page of Friday's Mail & Guardian.

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According to the Mail & Guardian story, Madonsela had found, subject to possible changes after she receives feedback from affected parties including Zuma, that the president derived “substantial” personal benefit from the work, which exceeded security needs, and must repay some of the R215m spent so far.

Madonsela, according to the M&G, also recommended that Parliament call Zuma to account for violating the executive ethics code in that he misled the legislature when he said his family had paid for all structures not related to security and for failing to protect state resources.

Among items not linked to security were a swimming pool, visitors’ centre, amphitheatre, cattle kraal, marquee area, paving and houses for relocated relatives.

This work had been done at “enormous cost” to the state.

Zuma had also intervened to ensure that his private architect and builders contracted by him were appointed to complete the work done at state expense. Since his architect, who oversaw the entire project, was paid a percentage of the total cost of the project, he had an interest in maximising its scope, the M&G reported.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the ANC had a responsibility to “deal” with its presidential candidate.

The party had set a precedent when it recalled then-president Thabo Mbeki from office before his term had expired and should do the same with Zuma, he said.

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said the revelations were so damning that Zuma should face “the most severe sanction”, should they prove to be correct.

If Madonsela’s findings in her final report didn’t change from those reported yesterday, she would consider tabling a motion to investigate Zuma under Section 89 of the constitution, which would involve an investigation by Parliament.

Madonsela’s spokesman, Oupa Segalwe, said the documents cited in the M&G report “are not ours” and could not have come from her office.

Ministers in the security cluster met Madonsela yesterday to discuss the M&G report, government spokeswoman Phumla Williams said.

The ministers wished to “reiterate the integrity” of the Public Works task team report, which had “established” that no state funds were spent on improving Zuma’s private houses at Nkandla.

Saturday Star

COMMENTS BY SONNY

LONG WALK TO ANC/ZUMA's CORRUPTION?

NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WILL FAZE THE ANC IN THEIR QUEST FOR POWER, GREED AND

CORRUPTION!

ESPECIALLY THIS 'LEAKED' DAMNING REPORT!