Zuma Home Controversy: Opposition have until Friday to respond to repayment offer

Speaking at the media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday in response to President Jacob Zuma’s proposed Nkandla settlement, Malema said the party would no longer allow journalists from the New Age newspaper and ANN7 news network to cover EFF events, as “those institutions are a product of corrupt activities”.

The upgrades to Zuma’s home included a football pitch and a pool which security authorities insisted was a necessary measure for fighting fires at the estate.

A 2014 report produced by the public protector said Zuma had “benefited unduly” from the upgrades and ultimately at the expense of the South African people.

Zuma asked the court to consider making an order that the auditor general and the finance minister determine how much should be paid back. He said the case was unique and should have been handled by parliament.

There is growing unhappiness in the country over the close ties the Gupta family has with President Jacob Zuma and other senior government figures.

But Malema said the judiciary had always rejected “ANC control”. “He knows that the pressure on him is absolutely mounting and that he has got to do something to reposition himself more positively with the voters”. He repeatedly said he would not “pay back the money”, as has been chanted by the EFF in parliament repeatedly – disruptions that ended with their forcible removals from the house.

His proposal to the Constitutional Court resulted in a deadline for Public Protector Thuli Madondela, who authored the first Nkandla report, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the EFF, to respond. “They are now left with the egg on their face”. “We can’t accept that the Public Protector can be told that she is not God and her remedial actions aren’t binding”, said an angry Malema during a press conference.

“There is an important legal principle at stake here”, Lewis said.

Security personnel had to be called into the chamber to remove the MPs who would not stop shouting “pay back the money'” while President Zuma desperately tried to deliver his speech.

“Even now in his settlement letter, still he will not use the determination made by the public protector”.

“Willing to pay any figure so determined” … We are not happy with that.