Report says South African leader should pay $507000

The South African National Treasury has ordered President Jacob Zuma to refund to government 7.8 million Rand (502,492 Dollars) he spent on non-security upgrades to his country home.

Security upgrades on Zuma’s home were supposed to have cost the state $2.5 million but other additions such as a cattle enclosure, amphitheater and swimming pool saw the cost skyrocket to some $23 million.

Documents furnished by the department of public works on the Nkandla upgrades were examined by the panel, including that of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, titled “Secure in Comfort”, which found that President Zuma benefited unduly from the project that cost the state more than R216 million.

Zuma would have to pay within 45 days of the court’s approval of the Treasury’s report.

The money amounts to a “reasonable percentage” of costs for improvements to Zuma’s Nkandla home that were unrelated to security, including a visitors’ center, a swimming pool and a chicken run, said the report, which was delivered to the Constitutional Court. “All queries regarding the matter should be directed to the Court‚” Treasury said in a statement. “This percentage corresponds to R7‚814‚155 as at June 2009‚” the report states.

“The National Treasury, has in line with the court’s order, submitted its report on the President’s homestead in Nkandla to the court”.

“The determination made by the Treasury today complies with the Public Protector’s remedial action, so in that sense I think that the Constitutional Court will give the go ahead for this determination to be final”.

“The National Treasury accepted their offer of assistance, as it was thought prudent to bring on board the breadth of expertise that resides in these two institutions”.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan confirmed that the papers were submitted to the Constitutional Court just before 3pm on Monday afternoon.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.