Specific Nkandla budget was not required, says Gordhan

THE Department of Public Works used an existing baseline for the expenditure on the work on President Jacob Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla and was therefore not required to submit a specific budget bid for the project to the Cabinet, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.

He also said the Department of Public Works had details of the expenditure on the project, despite repeated attempts by Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi to evade questions about the costs involved, estimated to be more than R230m.

Mr Nxesi has announced various investigations into the project.

Replying in writing to a question in Parliament by Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota, Mr Gordhan said the Cabinet approved the national budget based on the recommendations of the ministers committee on the budget. The budget was then tabled in Parliament, which subsequently approved it.

Mr Lekota wanted to know whether the Treasury in the budget preparation process had approved the expenditure on the Nkandla project.

- BD Live