SIU painting Nkandla architect as scapegoat, says DA

THE Democratic Alliance says the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is using the architect who worked on the R246m upgrade to President Jacob Zuma’s private home as a scapegoat.

This comes as it emerged that the SIU had lodged papers in a R155m civil claim against "one of the principal service providers" of the upgrades to the Nkandla property in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg.

South Africa is awaiting completion of the SIU report into the upgrades at Nkandla. Mr Zuma is using the report to delay responding to Parliament on the contents of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on Nkandla. Ms Madonsela found that Mr Zuma had improperly benefited from the upgrades and should repay some of the money.

SIU spokesman Boy Ndala confirmed earlier this week that the unit "has now received responses from all persons from whom it had requested answers to certain questions it had posed. As a result, it is finalising its report." He said the SIU was confident the report would be presented to the president early next week.

DA MP James Selfe said on Wednesday: "In the lead-up to the completion of the SIU report into the ‘security upgrades’ to President Jacob Zuma’s private residence at Nkandla, it appears that the SIU is attempting to scapegoat the Nkandla architect, Minenhle Makhanya."

Mr Selfe said the DA estimated Mr Zuma should repay tax liability of about R16.8m for the fringe benefits.

On Monday, Mr Ndala had said the SIU wished to place on record that "it is in the process of instituting a civil claim against one of the principal service providers who was engaged to effect the security upgrades at the president’s private residence in Nkandla".

Next week, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema is due to ask Mr Zuma, in the National Assembly’s presidential question time, when he will respond to Parliament on the contents of the report.

- BDLive