A-Z of Nkandla
Running to 447 pages, the public protector’s hard-hitting report is as thick as a telephone book. André Jurgens digested the document. Here is a simple version of ‘Secure in Comfort’
A for Aesthetics: Project minutes emphasising the need for an “aesthetic fit” left the distinct impression that an ideal stately environment was being designed for President Jacob Zuma rather than what was necessary and affordable.
B for Bunker: The police asked for a R500 000 safe haven to protect Zuma and his family in an emergency, but ended up with an elaborate underground bunker costing R19.5-million.
C for Consultants: Seven teams of professional consultants were paid R50.3-million for the first two phases of the project. Many of them had no security clearance.
D for Dispute: “It is not in dispute that [the Department of Public Works] paid for every aspect of the implementation of the Nkandla project despite the fact that the client departments were the South African Police Service, the Department of Defence and the Presidency.”
E for England: “An example of no attention to cost effectiveness is the cattle kraal with a culvert and chicken run. When asked [about this] . . . Mr [Minenhle] Makhanya said: ‘This is how they do it in England.’ ” Makhanya is the architect Zuma hired.
F for Fire Truck: The original plan called for a fire truck, topped up by a reservoir. Then came the fire pool, which former deputy public works minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu suggested could be used for local children’s swimming lessons. The pool and the parking garage under it cost R2.8-million.
G for Grovel: What project manager Jean Rindel did while trying to fund the project. In a 2011 memo to public works officials, he warned: “Note that failure to assist me with the financial side of this project will result in all of us failing the principal [Zuma], which will not be accepted lightly by the powers that be.”
H for Hero: Public protector Thuli Madonsela found one. “Ms [Glenda] Pasely, the chief quantity surveyor, showed exemplary conduct by raising her concerns about the excessive escalation in the cost of the project. It is unfortunate that her concerns in this regard were not taken seriously.”
I for Irony: The man who was paid more than R11-million to install sensitive security gear to safeguard the president had no security clearance.
J for Jigsaw: “In the words of the project manager, Mr Rindel: ‘It was like building a puzzle without a picture’ because the project team ‘ wrote the rules as they went along’.”
K for Kitchen: Bachelor rondavels with a bedroom, kitchen and tiny bathroom were built for police and military staff. “Yet, the accommodation was built at a cost of R17.5-million, which equates to R437 500 for a unit that is smaller than an RDP house.”
L for Loot: “It is difficult not to reach the conclusion that a licence-to-loot situation was created by government due to a lack of demand management by the organs of state involved.”
M for Minenhle Makhanya: “The uncontrollable escalation took place once the decision-making powers shifted towards Mr Makhanya as the principal agent.”
N for for Nkandla: Nkandla: There was alarm over the “gigantic proportions” of Nkandla. An architectural services director noted in August 2010: “Given the very humble beginnings of the project, nothing short of full township establishment is now required with all the civil services yet to be put in place, inclusive of roads, storm water, potable water, telephone and electricity, stand-by power, security fencing, etc, and the list is growing.”
O for Opulence: “Like all South Africans, I have recently read in the media the appalling story of the sums of taxpayers’ money being spent on the private residence of President Jacob Zuma. This is opulence on a grand scale and as an honest, loyal, taxpaying South African I need to understand how this is allowed to happen,” reads an extract from the first complaint sent to Madonsela.
P for Presidents: Of South Africa’s recent presidents, public works spent the least securing the private home of PW Botha — an estimated R173 338 in 2013 rand terms. The 2013 estimate for Nkandla stood at R241-million.
Q for Questions: So many, unanswered. Madonsela wrote to Zuma in January 2013 to inform him about the investigation. Several questions followed. Some remain unanswered.
R for Reasonable: Madonsela criticised Zuma for failing to take reasonable steps to curb irregular spending at Nkandla. Now he must pay back a “reasonable percentage” of what was spent on non-security items: the chicken run, amphitheatre, swimming pool and cattle kraal.
S for Spin: Is it a swimming pool? “It transpired from the investigation that what initially was supposed to be a fire pool (water reservoir) was converted into a swimming pool. Mr Rindel explained it was decided that as it was a requirement to have a fire pool, to make it aesthetically pleasant as well by building it in the form of a swimming pool.”
T for Trust: Madonsela said communication by the minister of public works about the upgrades was riddled with inaccuracies and inconsistencies. “This has grossly undermined trust in government.” U for Unconscionable: “The implementation of the Nkandla project leaves one with the impression of excessive and unconscionable Rolls-Royce security constituting an island in a sea of poverty and paucity of public infrastructure.”
V for Vanished: The original document drawn up to divide costs between the state and president went missing.
W for Water: “A number of the items installed by the Department of Public Works, such as the safe haven, swimming pool, paved roads and walkways as well as water and electricity supply, will require lifetime maintenance at cost to the state.
X for Xenodochium: A fancy way to describe a building for the reception of strangers. Nkandla’s visitors’ centre, combined with a control room, cost R6.7-million.
Y for Year: “The cost analysis shows that the Nkandla project started from humble be- ginnings, but soon escalated by more than 200% within a year,” said Madonsela delivering her report on Wednesday.
Z for Zinger: The head of the police security advisory service, Brigadier Stefanie Adendorff, was thrown a safehaven zinger.
“She said she was surprised with the facility that was eventually constructed, as it amounted to much more than what was required by the SAPS.” Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971
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