The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the announcement by the National Treasury that President Jacob Zuma has paid back R7.8 million to the people of South Africa for his liability for the taxpayer-funded upgrades at his private Nkandla residence‚ but maintains that this is only the tip of the iceberg in this corruption-plagued saga.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said it was also important that Zuma provide proof to the National Assembly that he personally paid the R7.8m and that the VBS Mutual Bank was not a front.

 “The President has a history of tapping into his circle of cronies for funds‚” Maimane added.

Zuma also had a history of relaying on others to pay his debt‚ he said.

“We have previously articulated that President Zuma is liable for R63.9 million in fringe benefits tax‚ and that he must release his tax records in order to ascertain whether this tax has been paid or not.

“In addition to this‚ Mr Minenhle Makhanya‚ the chief Nkandla architect‚ must pay back the more than R155 million used to inflate the cost of the ‘security upgrades’ at Nkandla — which the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) 2014 report found him to be responsible for‚” Maimane said.

 He added that the DA was also awaiting an update on the disciplinary hearing of at least 12 officials from the Department of Public Works‚ who were implicated in the Nkandla upgrades.

“Accountability is a long and intricate process‚ which must be fully complied with. We will therefore continue to push this matter until full accountability on the part of President Zuma is achieved.”