Who funded the Nkandla tea party?

8 February 2021

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today written to Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms. Thandi Modise MP, asking her to instruct the various parliamentary staff members who oversee the payment of entitlements to members of parliament, as well as the Registrar of Member’s interests who oversees all gifts, hospitality and travel benefits to investigate in full exactly how and who paid for an extravagant trip by Mr. Julius Malema MP and others to the home of ex-President Mr. Jacob Zuma in Nkandla in KwaZulu Natal on 5 February 2021.

The Speaker of the National Assembly has the authority to request the acting secretary of Parliament to investigate all travel claims made by any member of Parliament and also has the authority to report any possible abuse of resources allocated to any current or former member of Parliament to the relevant authority once she is made aware of such abuse.

Following numerous photographs that have appeared in the media and on social media platforms, it is clear that a large delegation accompanied Mr. Malema MP to the home of ex-President, Mr. Jacob Zuma. I have attached the photographic evidence for your ease of reference, here, here and here.

The following members that are employed by various spheres of government can be seen in the photographs and some even posted on their own social media platforms about the visit:

Mr Julius Malema MP ( Member of the National Assembly and leader of the EFF party);

Cllr Mzwandile Masina (Mayor of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council);

Mr Vuyani Pambo MP (Member of the National Assembly);

Other people who appear in photographs as posted on social media include:

Ex President Mr Jacob Zuma;

Mr Tony Yengeni;

Mr Dali Mpofu

The questions that require urgent attention are as follows:

Were any official travel entitlements used to fund the visit?

Were any vehicles of VIP protection service used to transport any of the guests to and from Nkandla?

Where any benefits received in terms of travel or hospitality that require a declaration to be made in the register of Members Interests in Parliament.

As members of Parliament, we have an absolute responsibility to ensure that at no time is the South African taxpayers' money abused or wasted. We have a duty to ensure that this tea party in no way, cost the economy of South Africa a single cent, that could have been used to purchase vaccines for the people.

The colour of tea early in the morning. pic.twitter.com/itmpy4KSCJ

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 6, 2021

Issued by Natasha Mazzone, Chief Whip of the Official Opposition in Parliament, 8 February 2021