Nkandla: 'Zuma's neighbours a security threat'

Families neighbouring President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal were moved because they posed a security threat, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said on Thursday.

It was up to his department to implement the security recommendations of the security cluster of ministers, he told journalists in Pretoria.

"The neighbouring families had to be relocated as they were identified as a security risk to have them within the high-security zone," he said at the release of a task team report into the over R206 million upgrade to Zuma's home.

"A feature known as the chicken run was constructed within the cattle kraal. It was created as a replacement to a number of building block structures that were scattered around some of the main dwellings which were obstructions and potential hiding areas for intruders."

Nxesi said allegations that Zuma used state resources to build and upgrade the homestead were unfounded.

"As it will be shown in the findings of the task team report, no state funds were used to build the president's private residence," he said.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi told journalists the rural setting in Nkandla posed a security hazard.

"The violent history of this area of KwaZulu-Natal, the fact that the Zuma homestead and family members had previously been attacked on three occasions, and the fact that the president has to conduct government functions, such as receiving official delegations, necessitated major security upgrades."

Ministers of the justice, crime prevention, and security cluster flanked Nxesi as he released a task team's report on the Nkandla upgrade.

The report was expected to be released earlier in December but was postponed. Cabinet then ordered its release.

The decision was announced after an attack by the African National Congress on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela about the timing of her own report on the over R206 million upgrade.

"[We have] endorsed the recommendations and directed that the report be released to the public," Cabinet said at the time.

Nxesi also added that allegations that President Jacob Zuma used state resources to build and upgrade his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal were unfounded.

"The requirement to provide security for presidents, both sitting and retired, remains the responsibility of government. The Ministerial Handbook did not adequately address security around the head of state, deputy president and their families."

Regarding the controversial tuck shop, among other things, Nxesi said the state was duty-bound to construct it, after relocating it.

"The tuck shop existed long before the president was inaugurated and was relocated within the three hectare land of the president."

"Due to the security risk posed by the movement of people [customers], the tuck shop had to be relocated from within the premises and erected at the perimeter of the premises," said Nxesi.

The task team's report would show no state funds were used to build the president's private residence, he said.

Irregularities rife in Nkandla upgrades

Many irregularities were identified in the appointment of service providers and procurement of goods and services in the security upgrade of President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, a Cabinet minister said on Thursday.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi told journalists in Pretoria he had engaged the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Auditor General for forensic and criminal investigations.

"There are many supply chain irregularities in relation to the appointment of service providers and procurement of goods and services," he said at the release of a task team report into the over R206 million upgrade to Zuma's home.

"For instance large variation orders and a high percentage spent in consultancy fees point to the possibility of over-pricing and collusion."

He said Zuma had signed a proclamation empowering the SIU to institute further investigations.

Summarising the report into the controversial upgrade, Nxesi said Zuma had not asked for the upgrade. He said "the so-called swimming pool" was a "fire pool" constructed as the most viable option for firefighting.

Earlier this year, Nxesi classified the report, saying it would put Zuma's safety at risk if released.

On October 8, The Western Cape High Court ruled that a Democratic Alliance bid for the release of the report was urgent.

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko approached the court on September 30 to obtain an order compelling the public works department to provide her with a copy of the task team's report.

A few weeks ago, the Mail & Guardian reported that Madonsela had found in her preliminary report that Zuma had misled Parliament, and had benefited substantially from about R20 million worth of work that had nothing to do with security features, including a swimming pool. Madonsela condemned the leak of the report to the newspaper.