THE Ministry of Public Works is probing the possibility that costs relating to the reported R237-million upgrade of President Jacob Zuma's rural homestead in Nkandla could have been inflated.
At the same time MPs engaged in heated debates in two separate portfolio committee meetings on the costs of the improvements to the president's homestead and a R582-million upgrade of roads leading to Nkandla.
Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin told the public works portfolio committee yesterday that they could not rule out the possibility that the department was overcharged when costing was done on the Nkandla upgrade.
"We can't rule out that in this specific case of this specific project, that there could well have been [cost overruns], but I don't know.
"We are determined to find out whether there has been an inflation of costs and whether there's been any other problems that have characterised many of the projects that this department has been involved in."
Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi has refused to divulge the cost of the upgrade to Zuma's home following reports that the state had spent R237-million on a security upgrade and other renovations.
Cronin said they were working with the auditor-general's office and would cooperate with any other state agencies to get to the bottom of the matter.
A heated argument subsequently ensued between public works portfolio committee chairman Catherine Mabuza and DA public works spokesman Anchen Dreyer, who initially raised the Nkandla matter.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal yesterday rejected claims that roads in the Nkandla area were made a priority because President Jacob Zuma's home village is in the area.
"When the construction of all these roads started, President Zuma was not the president of the country," transport MEC Willies Mchunu said yesterday.
He said work on the P15 began in August 2006, while construction on the P50 had been earmarked for upgrading as early as 2003.
Other examples were the John Ross highway in Richard's Bay and the Sani pass, linking South Africa and Lesotho, Mchunu said. -Additional reporting by Sapa
'Nkandla costs could have been inflated'
THE Ministry of Public Works is probing the possibility that costs relating to the reported R237-million upgrade of President Jacob Zuma's rural homestead in Nkandla could have been inflated.
At the same time MPs engaged in heated debates in two separate portfolio committee meetings on the costs of the improvements to the president's homestead and a R582-million upgrade of roads leading to Nkandla.
Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin told the public works portfolio committee yesterday that they could not rule out the possibility that the department was overcharged when costing was done on the Nkandla upgrade.
"We can't rule out that in this specific case of this specific project, that there could well have been [cost overruns], but I don't know.
"We are determined to find out whether there has been an inflation of costs and whether there's been any other problems that have characterised many of the projects that this department has been involved in."
Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi has refused to divulge the cost of the upgrade to Zuma's home following reports that the state had spent R237-million on a security upgrade and other renovations.
Cronin said they were working with the auditor-general's office and would cooperate with any other state agencies to get to the bottom of the matter.
A heated argument subsequently ensued between public works portfolio committee chairman Catherine Mabuza and DA public works spokesman Anchen Dreyer, who initially raised the Nkandla matter.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal yesterday rejected claims that roads in the Nkandla area were made a priority because President Jacob Zuma's home village is in the area.
"When the construction of all these roads started, President Zuma was not the president of the country," transport MEC Willies Mchunu said yesterday.
He said work on the P15 began in August 2006, while construction on the P50 had been earmarked for upgrading as early as 2003.
Other examples were the John Ross highway in Richard's Bay and the Sani pass, linking South Africa and Lesotho, Mchunu said. -Additional reporting by Sapa
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