ANC quick to build house for Zuma
A GROUP of ANC-linked businessmen have beaten Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema in the race to build a house for President Jacob Zuma’s indigent relative, Nsizwenye Zuma.
Malema tried to embarrass the president when he paraded the poor condition of the pensioner’s home.
It is adjacent to the R215million presidential homestead in KwaNxamalala village, Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, so the contrast was remarkable.
Nsizwenye asked Malema for a house after the EFF had built a home for one of Zuma’s neighbours, Sthandiwe Hlongwane.
But the ANC in the area was not going to be outdone again.
It organised financial support for Nsizwenye to stop Malema and his fledgling EFF from returning to build another house next door to the president’s ostentatious place.
An excited Nsizwenye said he was relieved that the new house was being built.
He had come under pressure from the extended Zuma family not to accept Malema’s offer, he said. Some members of Zuma’s family and other ANC supporters in Nkandla were angry with him for having accepted Malema’s offer.
But Nsizwenye insisted he was not interested in politics.
All he needed was a decent home, he said.
“I am not taking any political sides and I don’t know anything about politics.”
He said the EFF had promised to get back to him, but it had never done so.
His new home, which was expected to be completed within a month, is about 500m from his crumbling home on a hill overlooking Zuma’s residence.
It includes two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, bathroom and a shower.
During Malema’s visit, Nsizwenye publicly castigated Zuma. He said that the president did not care about his relatives.
Nsimbi Madondo, one of the 19 businessmen building the house for Nsizwenye, denied that their gesture had anything to do with Malema’s promise to build Nsizwenye a house.
“We have been aware of his plight for some time, but because we were busy with something else we couldn’t help him at the time.
“We are not involved in politics,” he said.
Local ANC councillor Sibongiseni Bhengu disputed this. He said the businessmen were approached by the ANC to build the house after Malema’s visit had put the spotlight on the pensioner’s living conditions.
The EFF was unfazed by the developments.
“We don’t have a problem that he is being built a house. He is free to exercise his choice, but this must be viewed as a victory for the EFF,” said spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.