National
Maharaj reportedly told Zuma to pay back Nkandla money─── 10:19 Sun, 26 Jul 2015
President Jacob Zuma's former spokesperson Mac Maharaj has told the UK's Financial Times that he told the leader to prepare to pay back the money used for security upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.
Maharaj also told The Sunday Times that he said it had been inappropriate for him to reveal confidential information about his relationship with Zuma.
He told the Sunday Times he concluded his answer to the Financial Times with the fact that the matter of Nkandla was still with Parliament and possibly the courts. And that there was much contestation between the parties on this matter and that he did not want his personal views arising from a confidential relationship to become a political football.
A report by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, which was released in March last year, found that Zuma "unduly benefited" from some of the estimated R246m upgrades to his homestead.
In May, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko released his own report on the Nkandla upgrades saying features at the homestead like the amphitheatre and soil retention wall, visitors’ centre, “firepool”, a kraal and a culvert, were all security features and he maintained that Zuma did not have to pay for these.
Media are expected to tour the government facilities in the Nkandla homestead today.
