The Congress of the People (Cope) said on Wednesday it was surprised that Cedric Frolick‚ chairman the Nkandla ad hoc committee‚ had said that “a lot of work” was still required to effect improvements at Nkandla.

“That is frightening‚” Cope spokesman Dennis Bloem said.

“The ruling party can establish as many committees as it wishes. It will not change the truth. President (Jacob) Zuma must pay back a reasonable portion of the money expended on his homestead.

“There is no refuge for the government and no amount of whitewash will make the scandal go away‚” Bloem said.

Frolick‚ an African National Congress member‚ on Wednesday also expressed his “shock at the shoddiness of the work”.

“We fully agree with him … that public works have a lot to explain. We also agree with him that Nkandla showed “how prestige projects should not be dealt with’.

Bloem said it was a disgrace that public works had spent R135-million on building the barracks which seemed to have a limited use. “The past ministers of public works must take full responsibility for this terrible mess. They must be held fully accountable.

“Finally‚ someone (Frolick) in the ruling party accepts that the fire pool is a recreational facility that could serve a different purpose in exceptional circumstances. A swimming pool is a swimming pool whatever the inventive minister of police chooses to call it.

“Cope all along knew that the public protector’s report was perfect and honest. We have therefore consistently clamoured for the government to implement her findings and recommendations.”