Nkandla: DA will seek legal opinion on Zuma's decision to not repay
The DA condemns in the strongest terms President Jacob Zuma's statement that he has done "nothing wrong" with respect to Nkandla and won't repay the money he has been instructed to by the Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela (see New Age report).
This is an insult to every South African who has been deprived because of the re-direction of millions of rands to upgrade the President's private residence in KwaZulu-Natal.
Section 181(3) of the Constitution makes it clear that "other organs of state, through legislative and other measures, must assist and protect these [Chapter Nine] institutions to ensure the independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness of these institutions." It goes onto say that "no person or organ of state may interfere with the functioning of these [Chapter Nine] institutions." Section 182(1)(c) also makes it clear that the Public Protector has the power "to take appropriate remedial action".
President Zuma's decision to effectively ignore the recommendations of the Public Protector runs contrary to this section of our constitution, as it deeply undermines the office and authority of the Public Protector.
The DA has accordingly asked our lawyers to consider the matter - and in particular- what steps may be taken to force the President to comply with all the recommendations contained in the Public Protector's report - including repaying the money he owes South African taxpayers.
The President simply cannot absolve himself of responsibility for this scandal, which saw nearly R250 million spent on his private residence in Nkandla. The facts contained within the report speak for themselves.
The Public Protector found that he "tacitly accepted" the upgrades and that he had knowledge of the details of the project. If he "didn't ask for them" then why did he not intervene to stop them from taking place?
President Zuma cannot claim ignorance on this matter. It is misleading and disingenuous, and Parliament - as the arm of the state which elected him to high office - now has a duty to investigate fully whether he misled the House and broke the law, and consequently, whether he should be removed from office. The Speaker of the National Assembly must initiate proceedings for my motion to impeach President Zuma as a matter of urgency.
Tomorrow, together with the DA's Caucus Chairperson, Dr Wilmot James, and Chief Whip, Watty Watson, I will set out further evidence for why President Zuma should be impeached and compelled to repay the money he owes the people of South Africa. This will include new evidence of how President Zuma may have deliberately misled Parliament.
The DA will continue to do everything possible to ensure all those responsible for this wrong doing - including President Zuma - are held to account.
Details for press conference:
Date: 1 April 2014
Time: 11h30
Venue: M314, Marks Building, Parliament
Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko MP, Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance, March 31 2014
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