Thursday, June 6, 2013

Nkandla: No permission yet for SIU probe

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Thursday told Eyewitness News four months after Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said he would probe government spending on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home, it's still waiting for the president to authorise the investigation.

This will lead to allegations that Zuma is blocking it.

Government's admitted spending R206 million on Zuma's residence.

It now appears Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's investigation is the only report which will be made public after Nxesi said his document on Nkandla was classified.

Madonsela said she now has the information she needs.

“We have a few more little pieces of the puzzle to put together.”

She added that her report should be published in the next three weeks.
 
Meanwhile, Nxesi said government is not against being held accountable for the millions spent on renovating Nkandla residence.

“We are not against being held accountable but it must be in the right forum.”

Nxesi defended the decision to keep his department's report on the controversial upgrade under wraps.

The report is before parliament's joint standing committee on intelligence, which meets behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance MP Anchen Dreyer said Parliament’s legal advice was that parts of the Nkandla report relating to security could be edited and the rest could be dealt with in public view.

Dreyer said the public has a right to know what the R206 million was spent on.

Zuma's home features underground bunkers, a clinic, a fire station, special quarters for police, and a helipad.

- EWN

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