Trial to recover R155m from Zuma’s Nkandla architect to begin

THE week-long trial in the R155 million civil recovery proceedings against Nkandla architect Minenhle Makhanya is expected to begin at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

In March 2014, former public protector Thuli Madonsela released her final report on upgrades at Zuma’s Nkandla homestead. She found that Zuma and his family benefited from measures implemented in the name of security.

The “Secure in comfort” report found that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from the R246 million spent on non-security features at Nkandla – including a swimming pool, kraal, chicken run and visitors’ centre – and that he should pay back part of the money.

A civil claim was instituted against Makhanya after the upgrades at Zuma’s home were found to be excessive.
The matter was first enrolled in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in September 2014 and transferred to the Special Tribunal by agreement of the parties.

Makhanya, the first respondent, was the principal architect in the security related upgrades at the private residence of Zuma.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is now seeking to recover an about R155 million from Makhanya which is alleged to have been from the irregularities in the contract which, it is contended, was awarded and amended several times in alleged violation and disregard to the legislative prescripts governing procurement in the public institutions.

The hearing was initially scheduled for July, but was postponed to the end of September after Mr Makhanya told the Special Tribunal in the case management leading up to the period that he did not have funds to cover the trial costs.

He had applied to the Legal Aid Board for legal assistance which was declined.

The SIU will lead evidence and Makhanya will also call his witnesses and avail any other documentary evidence relevant to the trial.

Meanwhile, after a video of ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile handing out money to congregants in Makhado surfaced on Twitter yesterday, he cleared the air and assured there was no wrongdoing.

He said at the time he attended a church service and during tithe offerings he handed money to his team to contribute as well.

On Sunday morning, Eskom’s former interim group chief executive, Matshela Koko, took to Twitter to publicly lambaste Mashatile’s handing out money following the challenges the ruling party had with the payment of staff salaries.

A tweet shared by Mpho Mathoho reads: “ANC Treasurer, Paul Mashatile handing out money to congregants in Limpopo, where he is doing door-to-door campaign. ANC staffs have not been paid for at least three months now via @PelaneM #Election2021 #ANCLGE2021 [sic].”

Koko retweeted the post and wrote: “This is wrong in so many ways. Mara ke this is the ANC we have come to know of @PaulMashatile and @CyrilRamaphosa. Flaunting cash when your own ANC staff has not been paid [sic].”

But Mashatile quickly defended his actions: “It is not true that I was handing out money to the congregants. We attended a church service in Makhado and during the tithe offering I handed money to my team so that I’m not the only one contributing to the offering,” Mashatile said.

“This is something very common in church where people share money. It was not an attempt to buy votes,” he added.
The ANC has its eyes set on reclaiming all 38 wards in the Makhado Municipality in Limpopo. Currently, the ruling party’s official opposition, the DA, runs one ward while the ANC is in control of 37.
Mashatile held a campaign trail in Makhado over the weekend.

He said it was a well-received reception.

“We are putting in all efforts to win the ward back. The biggest challenge the community faces is water. There is an interruption to the supply of water.

“Our motto is ‘Let’s build better communities together’ so we are saying to the people that we acknowledge the problem of water and we are going to work with them to address this.

“We know there is a challenge of unemployment in many of the areas, but as we roll out infrastructure … whether it is by building dams or schools, we will target the employment of local people,” Mashatile said.

During a campaign trail in Mankweng outside Polokwane, Deputy President David Mabuza said the ANC must shape itself and deliver better services to communities. Issues which communities informed him of include sanitation, water and flooding in homes when it rains.—IOL.