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Zuma pays State for non-security upgrades of his private home

Xinhua, September 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

President Jacob Zuma has paid 7.8 million rand (about 530,000 US dollars) to the State for non-security upgrades at his private home, as ordered by the Constitutional Court, the Presidency announced on Monday.

The president raised the amount through a home loan obtained from VBS Mutual Bank on its standard terms, one of the few financial institutions which offer home loans in respect of land owned by traditional authorities, presidential spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said.

Zuma was ordered by the Constitutional Court in March 2016 to pay for the non-security upgrades to be determined by the National Treasury.

"President Zuma has paid over the amount of R7,814,155.00 to the South African Reserve Bank as ordered by the Constitutional Court of South Africa in respect of his private homestead at Nkandla,"Ngqulunga said.

Over 246 million rand (about 17 million dollars) was allegedly used for the upgrades at Zuma's private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province.

After an investigation into the project, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela determined last year that the president had unduly benefited on the non-security upgrade of his private home.

Zuma refused to pay, prompting opposition Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance (DA) to launch a court application. In March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma should pay part of the money spent on non-security upgrades, which include a swimming pool, a visitor centre, an amphitheatre and a chicken run.

In the same judgment, the court also ruled that Zuma failed to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane welcomed the payment, but said the DA is not yet done with the president.

The DA maintains that this is only the tip of the iceberg in this corruption-plagued saga, said Maimane.

He stressed the importance that the president provide proof to the National Assembly, which he is accountable to, that he personally paid the money and the VBS Mutual Bank is not a front.

The court states in its ruling that "the President must personally pay the amount determined by the National Treasury".

Maimane said the president must release his tax records, claiming that Zuma is liable for 63.9 million rand (about 4.3 million dollars) in fringe benefits tax. The Public Protector also recommended that those who inflated prices and those that did not do their job properly must be reprimanded.

"We are also awaiting an update on the disciplinary hearing of at least twelve officials from the Department of Public Works, who were implicated in the Nkandla upgrades." Maimane said. Endit