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S. African Parliament respects court ruling on Nkandla case: Speaker

Xinhua, April 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

The National Assembly respects the judgment by the Constitutional Court in relation to the Nkandla case, Speaker Baleka Mbete said on Sunday.

The judgment does provide guidance in terms of how the reports of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and generally all the other institutions set up under the Constitution to guard democracy, Mbete said in a statement.

"This guidance is appreciated," she stressed.

The court ruled on Thursday that President Jacob Zuma and Parliament flouted the Constitution by ignoring the Public Protector's findings into the Nkandla case.

The court obliges Zuma to repay part of the money spent on security upgrades at his private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province, as recommended by Madonsela.

Madonsela released the "Secure in Comfort" report in March 2014 into the final findings into the scandal, in which Zuma was accused of abusing public funding worth 246 million rand (about 16.4 million US dollars) in security upgrades at his Nkandla home.

Madonsela claims that Zuma's family unduly benefited from the project and asks Zuma to pay part of the money on the project, a demand rejected by Zuma then.

At that time Parliament also dismissed Mandonsela's recommendations that Zuma repay a portion of the money spent on Nkandla.

"The resolution by the National Assembly absolving the president from compliance with the Public Protector's remedial action is inconsistent with the Constitution, is invalid, and set aside," Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said in Thursday's ruling.

"On a proper construction of its constitutional obligations, the National Assembly was duty-bound to hold the President accountable by facilitating and ensuring compliance with the decision of the Public Protector," the ruling said.

The judgment makes sound, balanced and critical findings, Mbebe said in her Sunday statement.

In an important way, these are major and most welcomed lessons that will serve to guide Parliament's processes and approach in handling reports of all constitutional institutions in future, said Mbete.

The speaker also announced that on April 5, Parliament will consider a motion by the Democratic Alliance (DA) for the removal of Zuma. Enditem