Nkandlagate: President Zuma delays SIU investigation
The DA has received a reply to a parliamentary question that was posed to President Jacob Zuma in the National Council of Provinces following reports that a draft proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the Nkandlagate scandal was sent to him over six months ago.
We wanted to know whether he has received such a proclamation; from whom; when it was sent to him; and why he has not signed it. His less than adequate response did not come as a surprise.
The President states that this investigation is "under consideration" while "other government processes" are being finalised. What is not clear from his response is which government processes he is referring to.
Could he be referring to the Public Works Task Team report which has been classified using bogus cabinet policy to prevent it being made public? Or perhaps the whitewash version of the report by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence? Is the President alluding to the Security Cluster Ministers' bullying tactics and attempts to sanitise the Public Protector's report into this matter? Or rather the Auditor-General's investigation that is yet to take place?
The SIU cannot proceed with its investigation until the President has signed a proclamation instructing them to do so. There is no acceptable reason for why this has not been done, and his failure to do so is part of a broader campaign to delay accountability and transparency on this corruption scandal.
As the complainant, the DA looks forward to receiving the Public Protector's report on Nkandlagate and will be working hard to ensure that it is tabled in Parliament in an open committee for public scrutiny.
The DA will not stop until those who have abused public funds are held to account.
Statement issued by Anchen Dreyer, DA Shadow Minister of Public Works, November 26 2013
Text of President Jacob Zuma's reply:
THE PRESIDENCY: REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Private Bag X1000, Pretoria, 0001
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WRITTEN REPLY
Internal Question Paper No. 36 of 2013
456. Mr M J R de Villiers (DA-WC) to ask the President of the Republic:
Whether he has been presented with a draft proclamation for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the upgrades at his Nkandla residence; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) when was the proclamation presented, (b) who presented the draft proclamation, (c) what exactly the draft proclamation requested the SIU to investigate and (d) why he has not signed the draft proclamation? CW666E
REPLY:
As indicated in a reply to a similar parliamentary question recently, the matter is under consideration in light of other government processes which have not been finalised on the same matter.
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