UPDATED: Nkandla report condemned as “whitewash”. Hopefully critics have actually read it.
Now that the infamous Nkandla Security Upgrade report is in the public domain, I've set some time aside today to have a thorough read. If you want to beat me to it, you can get to the summary by clicking here, and the 51 page PDF by clicking here. It's always dangerous to draw conclusions before doing proper research but an initial scanning suggests the Public Works Minister reached his conclusions on the basis of two assumptions – that every country needs to spend money to protect its President; and that the Department he inherited is full of scoundrels who systematically plundered the public purse. So he is angered but not surprised same has happened here. On the other side, pretty much everyone venturing a public opinion has decided the report is a "whitewash" and seem to have solid reasons for saying so as you'll read from the SAPA report below. One sincerely hopes they have not allowed all the hype around the over-the-top homestead of an increasingly unpopular President to influence their opinions before reading the detail. One last thing – we may disagree, that's our inalienable right of the privilege of being a citizen in a Constitutional Democracy. But with those rights come the responsibility of basing arguments on fact rather than emotion. – AH
From the SA Press Association:
The inter-ministerial report on the security upgrades of President Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, was met with mixed reaction on Thursday.
Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said the report was an insult to all South Africans and a smack in the face of real accountability.
"South Africans will see through this poorly disguised ruse to 'clear' President Zuma and provide shoddy – and at times ridiculous -explanations for the expenditure of public money on inexplicable luxuries.
"This includes the frankly ludicrous attempt to explain the need for a 'chicken run', a 'cattle kraal', the movement of the tuck-shop, and the 'fire-pool'," Mazibuko said.
She said the briefing on Nkandla was the clearest indication of the "extent to which Zuma's 'fixers' will go to protect him from being held accountable".
Mazibuko said the DA welcomed the fact that the report was in the public domain but said that too many questions about Nkandla remain unanswered.
The Congress of the People said it was not surprised or convinced by the attempt to justify the "unlawful splurge of tax-money".
"The whitewash release of the ministerial task team report on the security installations at the private Nkandla villas of President Jacob Zuma is yet another example of the ruling party's ineptitude and manipulation," spokesman Johann Abrie said in a statement.
"In essence, what has been described as "'necessary" — disregards the fact that many South African's have none of these "essentials" — both in urban and rural areas."
He said ministers underestimated the intelligence of South Africans and called for Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi to step down.
On Thursday, Nxesi said there were many irregularities in the appointment of contractors and procurement of goods for the upgrade and that the supply chain irregularities related to the appointment of service providers and procurement of goods and services.
"For instance, large variation orders and the high percentages spent on consultancy fees point to the possibility of over-pricing and collusion," Nxesi told media in Pretoria.
The report was compiled by the inter-ministerial team tasked with probing the over R206 million upgrade at Zuma's private homestead. Nxesi said Zuma had known nothing about the costs involved.
The Freedom Front Plus (FFPlus) said the report was a "smoke-screen" to protect Zuma.
"The ministers have all been appointed to their positions by Zuma and it is only logical that they would protect Zuma and would clear him of the scandal," FF Plus spokesperson Pieter Groenewald said in a statement.
"Although the Public Protector's report still has to be released, the question is whether it will be her full report or a revised report."
He said a judicial commission of inquiry should be appointed to properly investigate the "whole scandal" to ensure transparency.
Groenewald said the ministers were "hiding behind operational costs" of R125 million and said they should explain what it meant.
He said it should also be revealed who had done the work at Nkandla, who committed corruption, whose prices were inflated and who had stolen taxpayer's money.
The report confirms that a total of R206,420,644.28 was spent on the upgrade, up to December last year.
A breakdown of the "actual security costs" reveals that over R3m was spent on bullet-proof glass in the residence, and well over R9m on the fence that encloses the complex.
Among the task team's recommendations is that the report be referred to law enforcement agencies for possible further action.
Nxesi said allegations that Zuma had used state resources to build or upgrade his personal dwellings were unfounded because government had an obligation and responsibility to provide security for heads of state and their families.
The SA Communist Party welcomed the release of the report by government and the task team to investigate matters relating to the installation of security measures at Nkandla.
"We also welcome the statement made in contextualising the report and the explanations given. The SACP will of course comment further once we have studied the report in detail," spokesman Alex Mashilo said.
"We also welcome the fact that none of the installations at Nkandla were made at the request of the president, and that these were based on decisions and recommendations."
The SACP expressed concern at the inflated prices and said action should be taken against those guilty.
On Wednesday, National Union of Metalworkers of SA general secretary Irvin Jim said if the leaked Public Protector report was true, then there had to be accountability.
"There is no justification for spending R200 million on the house of the president," he told delegates at Numsa's special national congress in Boksburg, on the East Rand.
"If the leaked report is true, we will demand accountability from the department of public works and the president himself."
However, on Thursday Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini said Numsa's call for accountability was premature but not basically wrong.
Speaking in Johannesburg, Dlamini said Cosatu was calling for the speedy release of the report but warned against jumping the gun until facts were put on the table.
"It is therefore disingenuous to make a call for the state president to account while you don't even know what the report says," he said.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress said it welcomed the report but was concerned at the amount spent on the upgrades.
"While we note that the actual cost of the work done on the president's homestead is R71 million, the African National Congress remains concerned about this amount and would want to establish if it is justifiable and market-related," secretary general Gwede Mantashe told reporters in Johannesburg.
"We have also noted in the report that some of the costs were inflated in certain aspects of the project."
Stern action had to be taken against those involved in such fraudulent and corrupt activities, regardless of who was involved and what positions they occupied in the public or private sectors.
On October 8, The Western Cape High Court ruled that a Democratic Alliance bid for the release of the report was urgent.
Mazibuko approached the court on September 30 to obtain an order compelling the public works department to provide her with a copy of the task team's report.
The Mail & Guardian reported recently that Madonsela found in her preliminary report that Zuma misled Parliament, and benefited substantially from about R20 million worth of work that had nothing to do with security features, including a swimming pool.
Madonsela condemned the leak of the report to the newspaper. – SAPA
Original SAPA article after release of the report:
"For instance, large variation orders and the high percentages spent on consultancy fees point to the possibility of over-pricing and collusion," Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi told journalists in Pretoria on Thursday.
Speaking at the release of the report he said the supply chain irregularities related to the appointment of service providers and procurement of goods and services.
The report was compiled by the inter-ministerial team tasked with probing the over R206 million upgrade at Zuma's private homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Nxesi said Zuma had known nothing about the costs involved.
"The president cannot know about the costs… there was no way that he could [have been] told about the cost of this project," he said. The report confirms that a total of R206,420,644.28 was spent on the upgrade, up to December last year.
A breakdown of the so-called "actual security costs" reveals that over R3m was spent on bullet-proof glass in the residence, and well over R9m on the fence that encloses the complex. The Otis lift, fitted in the house, cost almost R2m.
Electronic detection systems cost just over R10m, while R21.7m was spent on high security facilities including earthworks, roads, and garages. The total spent on physical security features was R50.5m, plus a further R20.7m for professionals' fees.
The report lists the balance of the total R206m spent at Nkandla, an amount of R135.2m, as departmental operational needs costs. This figure includes a further R27.9m in professionals' fees.
On supply chain management of the project, the report finds that a fair, equitable, transparent and cost-effective competitive bidding process was not achieved.
"It was also found that the then minister of public works [Geoff] Doidge and deputy minister [Hendrietta] Bogopane-Zulu attended and presided over site meetings and in some instances interacted with contractors involved in the project.
"This was reflected in the minutes, memos generated by officials of [the department], and from evidence of three officials and one contractor who raised uneasiness with the involvement of the executive in the project."
On variation orders, the report notes that these may not exceed 20 percent of the contract amount, as per National Treasury instructions.
"However, in this project, there were four variation orders, three of which exceeded the 20 percent limit."
The variation orders totalled R26.7m. Among the task team's recommendations is that the report be referred to law enforcement agencies for possible further action. Nxesi said such action was already underway.
"I [have] engaged with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Auditor General for further forensic and criminal investigation."
He said Zuma had signed a proclamation empowering the SIU to institute further investigations.
"I have already written to the Police Minister [Nathi Mthethwa] requesting the SA Police Service… investigate any possible criminal acts."
Nxesi said he could not give more details on who was being investigated, because it might jeopardise the cases. In the report a call is made for immediate disciplinary measures against any government officials who might be implicated in any wrongdoing, including flouting policies and procurement procedures.
It also calls for the role of Doidge and Bogopane-Zulu to be further investigated and clarified. A senior public works official said at the briefing on Thursday the department's director general, deputy director general, chief financial officer, and regional manager at the time the project was started had all subsequently left the department. They were either dismissed or resigned.
Nxesi said allegations that Zuma had used state resources to build or upgrade his personal dwellings were unfounded. Government had an obligation and responsibility to provide security for heads of state and their families.
"Such security is provided at state expense," he said. It was also revealed at the briefing that there had been three "attacks" on Zuma's homestead — two involving arson and one a burglary. According to a senior police official, one of these had taken place when Zuma was deputy president, a position he occupied from 1999 to 2005, before being removed by then president Thabo Mbeki. – SAPA
SAPA also reports from the NUMSA Congress that the question of whether President Jacob Zuma should step down if the report on Nkandla revealed taxpayers' money was used irregularly is appropriate, Numsa said on Thursday.
National Union of Metalworkers of SA president Andrew Chirwa earlier this week asked delegates at the union's special national congress to debate whether Zuma should step down if the Public Protector's final report on the upgrade to his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal found wrongdoing on his part.
"This was a question he posed in the plenary for discussion by the special national congress," Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim told reporters in Boksburg, on the East Rand.
"As national office bearers we strongly feel that this was a correct and appropriate question to be posed."
He said delegates at the congress discussed the matter in commissions and would report in plenary on their answer to Chirwa's question.
On Wednesday, Jim said if the leaked protector's report was true the public works department and Zuma had to be held accountable.
"There is no justification for spending R200 million on the house of the president," he told delegates.
"As a union we can't be found wanting when something is definitely wrong."
Metalworkers were discussing, among other things, whether the union should support the African National Congress in next year's elections and whether it would remain a member of the Congress of SA Trade Unions.
Numsa's leadership had spent the last two days criticising the ANC and its alliance partner the SA Communist Party, accusing it of ignoring the working class. – SAPA