NPA blames delay in Nkandla charges on ‘complexity’

‘No decision has been taken on whether to prosecute any person’

THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has blamed the delays in the DA’s case against President Jacob Zuma on the complex nature of the case opened by the official opposition at Nkandla police station two years ago.

NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfeku yesterday said: “If you sit with complex documents, there will be delays, as you have to be thorough with analysis and interpretation of the documents.”

Mfeku was commenting in the wake of parliamentary response by the ministries of police and justice, whicho told the official opposition that the investigation had been concluded and the docket handed to national director of public prosecutions Shaun Abrahams for a decision.

The DA-opened case regards eight charges of corruption against Zuma for his alleged complicity in the alleged misappropriation of public funds to upgrade his homestead at Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

Replying to parliamentarian Elena Baker, the police ministry said the case docket was handed to Abrahams in August 2015 and the decision on whether to prosecute was awaited.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha had confirmed in his reply that the police had investigated the matter and it was under the consideration of the NPA.

“Prosecutors are still considering the matter and therefore no decision has been taken on whether to prosecute any person in respect of the matter,” Mfeku said.

“It is regrettably not possible to provide a definite date on when this investigation is expected to be concluded.”

He said the prosecutors were working hard to ensure there was finality on the matter.

Meanwhile, the DA wants the contractors that undertook security upgrades and related work at the Nkandla homestead to be “blacklisted”.

This, after Public Works Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko confirmed in another parliamentary reply that none of the contractors had been blacklisted.

“The Department of Public Works has not placed any supplier on the restricted supplier database. However, the Department of Public Works has started a process to place suppliers on the restricted supplier database where there is evidence that the supplier has breached the SCM (supply chain management) policy and/or National Treasury regulations.”