DA reacts to Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko's Nkandla Report that clears President Jacob Zuma from paying for the security upgrades done at his private residence.

1. DA considersoptionsonNkandlareportwhitewash
28 May 2015
Ministerof Police,Nathi Nhleko’sdeterminationthatPresidentZumaisnotliable foranyof the
lavishupgradestohisprivate residence atNkandlaisaninsulttothe SouthAfricanpeople.
The DA will notallowthe Presidenttogetawaywiththe theftof publicfunds.We have,therefore,
referredthe mattertoour legal teamforthe considerationof the rationaleof MinisterNhleko’s
determination,andourconstitutionalandlegal remedies.
Withregard to the considerationof the reportbythe NkandlaAdHoc Committee scheduledtobe
resurrectedearlynextweek,we will awaitthe termsof reference before makingadecisiononhow
to proceed.
The DA will vociferouslyfightforthe termsof reference toinclude all relevantpersonnelwho
consultedwithMinisterNhlekotocome to thisdeterminationandwe will notbe forcedtoaccept
narrow termsof reference inalast-ditchattempttomake uscomplicitinthiscover-up.
The DA stronglycondemnsthe rejectionof the findingsmade byPublicProtector,AdvThuli
Madonsela.Inherreport entitled“Secure inComfort”,releasedinMarchlastyear,AdvMadonsela
foundthat thatthe Presidentmustrepayafairportionbackfor undulybenefitingfrom thisproject.
Justlast year(24 October2014) the WesternCape HighCourtruledthat the PublicProtector's
findingscannotbe summarilyignored.The President,andthe due tobe re-establishedAdHoc
Committee,cannotignore the remedialactioninthe PublicProtector’sreportinlightof this
judgment.
The DA previouslydeterminedthatthe Presidentisliableforatleastan amountof R52.9 millionfor
the non-securityupgradestohisprivate home inKwaZulu-Natal.Inadditiontothisamount,the
Presidentfurtherremainsliableforthe tax on the fringe benefitreceivedfromthe upgrades.
But the Minister’sreportdemonstratesthatPresidentZuma’shenchmenwill doanythingtoshield
the Presidentfromhisresponsibility.
In hisreplytothe PresidencyBudgetDebate yesterday,PresidentZumamade lightof the factthat
the Oppositionhasbeenunrelentingindemandinghe repayafair portionof the undue benefithe
received.
Furthermore,thisreportwascompletedonthe 25 March 2015 butthe Ministerchose toholdonto
it andrelease itafterthe President’sBudgetVote.Thisisacynical manipulationof due processby
not affordingParliamentthe opportunitytothoroughlyinterrogatethe report.
By makinga mockeryof the processof parliamentaryoversightandexecutiveaccountability,the
Presidentissendingaclearmessage thatcorruptiondoesnotmatterand that he shouldbe above
the law.

2. The DA believesinasocietythatvaluesfreedom, fairnessandopportunitywhere noone,including
the President,canescape responsibilityfortheiractions.We will therefore continue tofighttosee
that the PresidentZumapayswhatisowed.
ENDS