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Zuma does have a bond, his spokesman says

Nkandla homestead. File photo
Nkandla homestead. File photo

No details given

President Jacob Zuma does have a bond on his residence in Nkandla, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the presidency said on Tuesday.

“We reaffirm that President Zuma does indeed have a bond on the residence with one of the national banks, and he is still paying it off monthly,” spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement.

The presidency said it had noted media reports which implied that Zuma had misled the National Assembly about it. “We urge the media to respect the agencies that are investigating the various aspects of the security enhancements at the residence, as speculations and rumour-mongering will not assist the process,” said Maharaj.

The City Press reported on Sunday that there was no bond registered on Zuma’s home.

It alleged the land on which Zuma’s home stands was owned by the Ingonyama Trust, headed by King Goodwill Zwelithini.

It reported that the trust managed 32% of all land in KwaZulu-Natal on behalf of the state, and for the benefit of its occupants.

On Thursday, Zuma told Parliament he was still paying off a bond for the home.

“I took the decision to expand my home and I built (up) my home with more rondavels, more than once. And I fenced my home. And I engaged the bank, and I’m still paying a bond on my first phase of my home,” he said at the time.

The newspaper had been unable to locate public records to support Zuma’s claim that the property was bonded.

The deed document for the property showed that the Ingonyama Trust was the owner.

Belinda Benson, Ingonyama Trust’s property manager, told the newspaper the deed’s office records were for Zuma’s homestead.

She said as far as she was aware no bond had been registered against the property.

“Over that particular portion, as it stands right now, there is no bond,” Benson was quoted as saying.

“Whether it hasn’t been registered yet or if it’s still in the process [of being registered], or whether the president has elected to bond a different property, we don’t know.”

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