“Today [Sunday] my colleagues and I visited President Jacob Zuma's compound at Nkandla to see what a R250 million renovation with public money looks like,” DA leader Helen Zille said in a statement.
The statement said the DA had written to the President in and various other government ministers in October, asking for the truth about Nkandla; details on how much was spent, on what, by whom, and under what provision of law.
“We got no response other than to acknowledge receipt of our letters. Today we are giving President Zuma and his government a further 72 hours to respond.”
“We felt it was important for us to see the compound for ourselves before we embark on court action against the President for this blatant abuse of power.”
This is state-sponsored corruption on an unprecedented scale, Zille said. “We cannot let him get away with it.”
The DA said if there is no substantive response by close of business on Wednesday, November 7, it will instruct its lawyers to make preparations to take Zuma and the government to court over what is now known as ‘Nkandlagate'.
The DA’s planned inspection of the Nkandla compound was thwarted by police and ANC supporters earlier today.
Zille said the party had permission to gather on a public road outside a school opposite Zuma's home, but police refused to let her pass, saying they wanted to prevent violence.
Several cars carrying ANC supporters passed by on a side road. They carried sticks and sang Dubhula iBhunu (Shoot the Boer).
When Zille asked officers why those cars were allowed to pass, she was told they would open a case against the organisers of the ANC march.
Zille told reporters she would stand her ground, that she had permission to be there, and that a group of ANC protesters had no permission to block the road leading to the homestead.
About 700 metres from where the Democratic Alliance was stopped, police in riot gear were trying to prevent a group of ANC supporters from advancing. Officers formed a human chain across the road, outside Zuma's residence, in the village of KwaNxamalala.
Two water canons and several armoured Nyala vehicles were parked nearby.
The song Awulethu Mshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) was blaring from a sound system. Some people carried placards reading: "Stop attacking Zuma".
The Democratic Alliance intended visiting Zuma's private residence, where an upgrade, reportedly costing R200 million, was in progress. Zille and DA officials intended inspecting roads around the property and would try to enter the compound.
The ANC and its allies have criticised the move.
On Saturday the South African Communist Party said the planned inspection was part of a racist right-wing agenda.
On Friday the African National Congress warned the DA could receive a welcoming similar to the stone-throwing that erupted in May when the opposition party tried to march to the Congress of SA Trade Unions' headquarters in Johannesburg.
"The news of our visit was met with open threats of violence from the ANC and the SACP," Zille said.
"No ANC leaders repudiated or condemned these threats. In fact, they were amplified with inflammatory and race-loaded rhetoric by senior ANC leaders. We will not be intimidated from exercising our constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight and focus public attention on the facts. And we will not allow the ANC to declare certain areas ‘no-go zones' in our country."
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