Sparks to fly over Nkandla upgrades
PARLIAMENT’S special Nkandla committee is this week expected to spend two hours viewing the R215 million taxpayer-funded security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s homestead after a briefing by the police minister on his report, which dismissed the need for any presidential repayments.
As several opposition parties indicated they would not participate in any rubber stamping, the oversight visit is crucial in their decision whether to continue on what is the third parliamentary ad hoc Nkandla committee. It must consider the police minister’s report, but there is an emerging joint opposition view, if the ANC again used its numbers to push through an exoneration, it could do so alone.
Previously opposition parties walked out after the ANC used its majority to ensure neither the president nor public protector appeared before it – and to clear Zuma of any wrong doing in its report adopted by the National Assembly in November last year. The first parliamentary Nkandla committee, a few days ahead of the May 2014 election, decided to leave the matter for the new Parliament.
Sparks could fly from early as tomorrow when the DA is expected to drive home to Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko why his report was flawed. The party argues the minister could not overrule the public protector’s finding a reasonable percentage of costs should be repaid for “undue” benefits like the swimming pool, cattle kraal, amphitheatre and visitors’ centre.
“We’ll see what the committee response is. We’ll be guided by legal advice,” said DA MP James Selfe, who serves on the committee. “If this turns out to be a white wash... we don’t want to be part of a white wash.”
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said his party had already rejected the minister’s report, and would continue to call for witnesses like the public protector to appear before the committee. Those points would be raised again, and it depended how the ANC reacted. “If they are still intransigent, they can kiss and say good bye (to the opposition),” said Holomisa.
Freedom Front Plus MP Corne Mulder said he expected there would be strategising on both sides. “I’m going. I’m keeping an open mind. Obviously at some stage the opposition could withdraw,” he said.
The EFF, which has been driving the “Pay back the money” call, could not be reached for comment.
It has emerged MPs’ access to Zuma’s Nkandla homestead was facilitated by the office of Speaker Baleka Mbete, but this facilitation did not extend to media.
Committee chairman Cedric Frolick said that according to a legal opinion, there was “no legal authority to grant access to the president’s private residence” for the media.
However, he was adamant tomorrow’s ministerial briefing, and the two days of committee discussions at the KwaZuluNatal legislature in Pietermaritzburg later in the week, were open to all. The MPs’ site visit to Nkandla takes place on Wednesday.
Keeping costs down was the reason for the committee sitting in KwaZulu-Natal, Frolick added.
NHLEKO CAN’T OVERRULE THE FINDINGS THAT A PERCENTAGE OF COSTS SHOULD BE REPAID