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Upgrades needed after wife raped: Zuma

Security upgrades were necessary at President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home because intruders broke into his home and raped his wife over a decade ago, he said in Johannesburg on Monday.

"My homestead was burned twice during violence... These criminals came, raped my wife during the time I was still the MEC," he told editors at a briefing.

Zuma was KwaZulu-Natal's economic affairs MEC between 1994 and 1999.

The perpetrators were arrested, charged, and convicted, he said. He did not say which of his four wives was raped.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has found that Zuma and his family unduly benefited from a R246 million security upgrade to his KwaZulu-Natal homestead.

He rubbished misconduct allegations by the media, and scolded them for not exercising responsibility and for unfairly calling him corrupt.

"It's very much unfair... Neither of the two reports say I abused government money."

He was referring to Madonsela's report and that of an inter-ministerial task team. The task team's report found that Zuma knew nothing about the costs involved in the upgrades. Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi blamed irregularities in the appointment of contractors and the procurement of goods.

Zuma rejected the media's allegation that he was corrupt and claims that the upgrades constituted misconduct.

"I've not expressed my total views on this matter... It has been investigated. There was no finding of misconduct," he said.

"There is nothing wrong with Nkandla."

He spoke in the third person, saying: "No government has built Zuma's house."

Newspapers that published pictures of his Nkandla homestead were misinforming people.

"You give an impression that this man is gone to that massive thing built there," he said.

"In the picture, a clinic for the government... is put as part of my homestead."

He was paying a bond, and was running a country, not a construction company, he said.

"It's not fair when you give a picture of Zuma's house and a narrative that is not correct."

Zuma stressed he was a citizen with rights.

"I am also a citizen. I need protection also. The [Public] Protector's report does not say Zuma abused money of government. I don't think it is fair treatment to a citizen."

He scolded reporters, saying they sometimes exaggerated when reporting on matters, particularly on politicians and crime. The media needed to understand its responsibility and exercise respect, he said.

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