There is speculation that Nathi Mthethwa was given his new post to stamp out criticism of President Jacob Zuma's rule
Letters of reprimand have been sent to two cabinet ministers and one former minister involved in the project to upgrade President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, the presidency said on Friday.
The letters were sent to Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi, his predecessor Geoff Doidge, who is now South Africa’s high commissioner to Sri Lanka, and former police minister Nathi Mthethwa, who is now the minister of arts and culture.
The letters of reprimand follow an order by the Constitutional Court that Zuma should comply with the remedial action contained in Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on the upgrades to Zuma’s homestead. The remedial action also included that Zuma must follow the directive of the public protector in paying back a portion of the over R200 million used on “non-security upgrades” to his private home.
“The payment of a reasonable percentage of the cost of the measures will be done after the National Treasury has made a determination. The National Treasury is currently seized with the matter,” Zuma’s office said.
In addition, Zuma said, an inter-departmental committee had been set up to draft a new cabinet policy and to “draft clear standards on the security measures that can be taken, the reasonable cost that can be incurred by the state and the conditions subject to which current and former Presidents and Deputy Presidents would qualify for such measures”. – African News Agency (ANA)