DA says Nxesi misled Parliament on Nkandla costs
The Democratic Alliance on Sunday accused the Minister of Public Works, Thulas Nxesi, of trying to mislead Parliament on the Nkandla cost calculation.
Alf Lees, the DA’s Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, said Nxesi’s recent reply to a parliamentary question directly contradicted information provided by the National Treasury.
Lees said the minister had claimed that the department of public works (DPW) had provided Treasury with all relevant documentation to enable them to calculate the cost of non-security upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s residence at Nkandla, which was refuted by Treasury.
Lees said Nxesi’s reply that the department had submitted all documents and co-operated fully with Treasury had been brought into question in court papers where National Treasury revealed “shortcomings by the DPW in providing information as mandated”.
The shortcomings listed are various including drawings being missing, others not reflecting what was built – such as a drawing for a single storey building where a double storey was built – and no bill of quantities being provided to assist in the determination of the reasonable costs incurred.
“It is therefore clear that Nxesi has deliberately tried to mislead Parliament in his reply, and the DA will move a motion to this effect once the House sits again,” Lees said.
The department was not immediately available for comment.