Nkandla works benefited Zuma: Report
Updated | By Neo Leeuw
President Jacob Zuma received substantial personal benefits from the multi-million rand upgrade to his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, the Mail & Guardian reported on Friday.

This emerged in Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's provisional report into the upgrades, according to the newspaper.
Government has stated the upgrades were essential for Zuma's security, but Madonsela found a swimming pool, visitors' centre, amphitheatre, cattle kraal, marquee area, extensive paving, and new houses for relatives included in the upgrade at "enormous cost" to the taxpayer.
Madonsela's report recommended the president be called to account by Parliament for violating the executive ethics code on two counts.
These were for failing to protect state resources, and misleading Parliament for suggesting he and his family had paid for all non-security-related features.
She recommended that he must repay a "reasonable" amount of the money spent to the state, the Mail & Guardian said.
One of the key allegations listed in the report stated that costs escalated from an initial R27 million to R215m, with a further R31m in works outstanding.
The newspaper claimed it had obtained government documents dating from three years ago complaining about the rising cost of the project.
In an editorial, it said it had expected criticism for disclosing the content of a provisional report by the public protector but believed it was justified. It appeared clear that government was trying to keep the findings from the public and possibly to block publication of her final report.
It recalled that Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa had stated that Madonsela was not qualified to decide whether the information she brought to light might constitute a security breach, and would exceed her powers if she sought to do so.
At a briefing last week, Mthethwa and his fellow ministers in the security cluster had left open the door for further litigation against Madonsela and also reiterated that she should hand her final report to Parliament.
In reaction to the news report, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said Zuma had misled Parliament and the public, and it was not useful for Madonsela's final report to be handed to the legislature.
Holomisa said police had to conduct a parallel investigation to get to the bottom of what happened at Nkandla.
"One thing is clear; President Zuma has misled Parliament and the Nation. Unfortunately this person is not accountable to the electorate, but to Luthuli House, and the African National Congress must take responsibility for the actions of their deployee.
"For us to take this matter to Parliament is not going to work and we, instead, must send the police, the Hawks and the auditors to get to the bottom of this mess," he said.
Cope leader Mosioua Lekota said it backed Madonsela's reported recommendation that Zuma be made to repay money spent at Nkandla.
"The Congress of the People welcomes and supports to the hilt the Public Protector’s directive that President Jacob Zuma pay back public funds which was spend on his private retreat at Nkandla," he said.
-Sapa
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