If the public protectors report on nkandla were released at any other time, instead of weeks before the elections, the matter would probably have. From the time of the notorious 20 sun city wedding, the guptas activities in south africa have attracted a great deal of negative international media attention. The fight between public protector thuli madonsela and the security cluster is about much more than her provisional report into state expenditure at president jacob zumas private nkandla homestead. That nhlekos report had not been approved by the anc and they did not know. The financing of the nkandla project makes it clear that jacob zumas home is built on shaky foundations of friends and wouldbe favours. Cabinet ministers tried to justify zumas spending by saying that was essential in providing zuma with appropriate security. Amabhungane combed through more than 12 000 dept of public works documents. This application follows amabhungane s paia request which was lodged. A public works progress report from june 2010, among the documents amabhungane obtained, places responsibility at zumas door, saying that it is understood that the ownerowners. Financial mail and amabhungane launch application to.
A public works progress report from june 2010, among the documents amabhungane obtained, places responsibility at zumas door, saying that it is understood that the ownerowners representative negotiated with the families and agreed to provide each with four rondavels, palisade fencing, an access road, paving, water and electricity. Financial mail and amabhungane launch application to access former president zumas tax records. A public works progress report from june 2010, among the documents amabhungane obtained, places responsibility at zumas door, saying that. Documents obtained by amabhungane on nkandla show how costs ballooned tenfold as officials scrambled to please president jacob zuma. Botswana journalists investigating damaging allegations about president ian khamas rural residence were blocked by security agents and warned. Both court applications have been brought in terms of the promotion of access to information act, no.
Thuli madonsela strikes back with force by stephen grootes november 20 in the court of public opinion, legal papers. Amabhungane is an investigative journalism organization focusing primarily on exposing political corruption in south africa and neighboring countries. The centre obtained the evidence from the department of public works, responsible for the r210million upgrade, in a protracted accesstoinformation and legal struggle. The nkandla report is finished and so is brother jacob.
Amabhungane has learnt key features of the report from sources with direct access to it but who cannot be named due to sensitivity over leaks. The use of public funds to make improvements to the compound, which were said to be for security reasons, which cost over r246 million led to significant. Nkandla has been a touchy subject for him ever since. They say that their name means dung beetles in isizulu, the primary indigenous language of south africa. Nkandla judgment exemplary of concourt moseneke posted. Follow amabhungane s blowbyblow battle with the department of public works for access to. In july 2012, well before the nkandla scandal broke, amabhungane lodged a request at the department of public works for information pertaining to public expenditures on president zumas nkandla home. Documents obtained by amabhungane lay bare how jacob zumas accession to the presidency set off an orgy of official grovelling that allowed the security upgrade at his private nkandla homestead to balloon from a modest r27. Installation of security measures and related services at presidential private residence. Amabhungane this week released all 12000 pages obtained from the department, given the public inter est in the matter. On tuesday, judge vuyelwa tlhapi ordered nxesi and the department to disclose crucial nkandla documents thus far kept hidden from public view. The private home of former south african president jacob zuma, situated about 24 km 15 mi south of the rural town of nkandla in kwazulunatal, commonly referred to as the nkandla homestead has been the subject of considerable controversy.
Among the nkandla documents obtained by amabhungane are two that provide a clear indication of the cost of president jacob zumas new houses at nkandla. The request highlighted amabhungane s interest exclusively in information that was not securitysensitive. Provided by dikgang moseneke filejohannesburg the constitutional court judgment on nkandla was meant as a lecture on what kind of. An orgy of kowtowing documents obtained by amabhungane on nkandla show how costs ballooned tenfold as officials scrambled to please president jacob zuma. The second court application by amabhungane relates to a request for the release of the top secret report on the expenditure by the task team which was appointed by the minister of public works late last year. Report on an investigation into allegations of impropriety and unethical conduct relating to the installation and implementation of security measures by the department of public works at and in respect of the private residence of president jacob zuma at nkandla in the kwazulunatal province report no 25 of. The splurging, the secrecy, the sloppiness and what the president knew. Easily share your publications and get them in front of issuus. Financial mail and amabhungane head to court to obtain. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online.
Her findings are corroborated by over 12 000 pages of evidence amabhungane obtained through accesstoinformation litigation from the department of public works, which implemented the upgrade. The public protectors provisional nkandla report has found that our president has derived substantial personal benefit from works that exceeded security needs,and must repay the state. Polity representing amabhungane in relation to nkandla. Department releases nkandla files to the mail and guardian.
The centre obtained the evidence from the department of public works, responsible for the r210million upgrade, in a protracted accessto. This seems to render the presidents response to the nkandla report irrational and hence unlawful and invalid. Representing amabhungane in relation to nkandla documents. The first application involves a request for all records relating to expenditure by the department of. The financial mail together with the amabhungane centre for investigative journalism on tuesday filed papers in the north gauteng high court seeking. Financial mail and amabhungane head to court to obtain zumas tax records. Thank you note for your visit by chancefbydh issuu. Public works director general mziwonke dlabantu is accused of lying under oath and is not to be trusted with producing all existing nkandla related documents, the high court in. Webber wentzel has been representing amabhungane in two separate court applications in relation to the upgrade of president jacob zumas estate in nkandla nkandla estate. The report foreshadows new concerns about how zuma was able to finance the r19. It signals the start of a new war between openness and accountability, on the one hand, and secrecy, cloaked in the garb of security, on the other. To read through the judgment, to hear in ones mind the voice of chief justice mogoeng mogoeng once again, is to be reminded just how sordid, awful, and plain illegal, the nkandla scandal has. The public protector on wednesday released her longawaited report on the security upgrades at president jacob zumas private nkandla homestead. Secure in comfort a report of the march 2014 public protector.
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