Not another cent of taxpayers’ money must be spent at Nkandla

The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects any new or further upgrades to the President’s Nkandla home, regardless of how they are described or categorised by national government. We maintain that not another cent of taxpayers’ money must be spent for the benefit of one man.

The President must at once reject any plans by government to use public funds to renovate, refurbish, or upgrade any property at his Nkandla homestead – which has already benefitted from upgrades to the value of R250 million rand of public money.

Reports this morning indicate that the Department of Public Works has already begun the process which will see millions of rands of public money spent to refurbish the property, repair shoddy workmanship, and to address security concerns.

At things stand, corruption charges pertaining to the previous Nkandla upgrades have yet to be instituted – 1131 days after I laid such charges in terms of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004. Until such time as these charges have been investigated, and those found guilty of wrongdoing are held to account, any talk of further upgrades is outrageous.

It is shameful that a man who has single-handedly plunged our country into “junk status” should live in palace of luxury, built and maintained with the people’s money. If Jacob Zuma wants refurbishments and upgrades, he must pay for it out of his own pocket.

The Presidency was quick out of the blocks this morning to defend Zuma and “muddy the waters” by claiming in a statement that “there are no renovations of the private houses at the President's residence at Nkandla currently and no government department has indicated any proposal for renovations.”

This response is simply inadequate. The President must reject any and all future upgrades at Nkandla that uses public money – no matter how they are described or categorised. The South African people cannot be burdened with paying for any more upgrades, refurbishments or extensions at Zuma’s palace of corruption.

Indeed, the last bout of upgrades at Nkandla infamously saw the Constitutional Court ruling that Jacob Zuma had failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution, and he was ordered to personally pay back a portion of the expenses.

In addition to this, while President Zuma was forced to personally pay back R7.8 million, the Income Tax Act defined fringe benefit tax plus penalties and interest that President Zuma is liable to pay is estimated at R63.9 million.

The DA has since requested that Tax Ombud, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, investigate whether SARS have dragged their feet with regards to raising the tax, penalties and interest that are payable by President Zuma on Nkandla.

The DA will continue in our efforts to remove Jacob Zuma from office, so that the assault on our country, our Constitution, and the public’s money is stopped, once and for all.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 23 April 2017