Someone’s lying about Zuma’s secret R1m salary – Maimane
President Jacob Zuma was either misleading parliament by not declaring a separate R1 million “salary” he allegedly received in his presidency, or the “entire” book, The President’s Keepers, should be “discarded”, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said yesterday.
Speaking to journalists at the Union Buildings yesterday, Maimane gave feedback on Zuma’s declaration of interests since taking office in 2009.
The perusal of the records was prompted by allegations in the controversial book written by investigative journalist Jacques Pauw, stating Zuma earned R1 million from ANC backer Roy Moodley’s Royal Security company for the first four months of his presidency.
But it appeared Zuma did not declare the amount, Maimane said. The president, instead, declared using the businessperson’s property on Durban’s beachfront last year.
“As far as the executive ethics code is concerned, that information should be declared in the public records of the presidency and having viewed the record, none of that information was declared by the president,” said Maimane.
“In the president’s declaration, he declares only in 2016 that Roy Moodley allowed him to use a property on the Durban beachfront.
“Outside of that, he makes no declarations.”
Maimane said somebody was lying about the alleged R1 million salary, but it could not be Pauw.
“Someone is lying here. And I am not willing to say Mr Pauw is lying. It must be investigated thoroughly. It is clear that the president is either misleading the people of South Africa, or we must discard the entire book that is called The President’s Keepers.”
The president, however, declared receiving gifts from numerous heads of state, including Nguni cattle from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, bottles of Merlot wine from Russian leader Vladimir Putin and a hibiscus tea set from fugitive Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2017, a year before he fled South Africa in violation of a high court order.
Maimane said he was dissatisfied with the records, but would proceed with a Promotions of Access of Information Act (Paia) application to investigate and have access to the private section of the record.
“Having viewed the declarations of interest, those not having been declared, I will give Paia the information and request that there be an investigation into whether or not the president has violated the executive ethics code.”
Someone is lying here. And I am not willing to say Mr Pauw is lying. It must be investigated thoroughly.
Mmusi Maimane DA leader