Zuma needs time to study report: Mbeki

In an interview on Tuesday, Mbeki said that Zuma should take his time in studying the recommendations of the report on the upgrades, supporting a press release from the presidency to this effect.

Former president Thabo Mbeki has said President Jacob Zuma should not rush his response to the Public Protector's report on upgrades to his Nkandla homestead, City Press reported.

In an interview on Tuesday, Mbeki said that Zuma should take his time in studying the recommendations of the report on the upgrades, supporting a press release from the presidency to this effect.

"I think it was an important statement made by President Zuma's office, which said that he would study the report and obviously reflect on what he sees and then he would take the necessary action out of that," Mbeki was quoted as saying.

A carefully considered response from the president would help ensure that past errors were not repeated.

"From what I've seen in the media, it [the report] reflects on many elements of our government functions and, as indeed the Public Protector said, there is also hope to ensure that the things that went wrong don't happen again,” he said.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found in her report, released last Wednesday, that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from the upgrades.