President Jacob Zuma would have pay back just over R7.8-million within 45 days for the non-security upgrades at his Nkandla homestead according to the Treasury’s report submitted to the Constitutional Court.
The Concourt had ordered Treasury about two months ago to determine a reasonable percentage of the costs of “those measures which ought to be paid personally by President Jacob Zuma… within 60 days.”
Treasury concluded in its report that the reasonable costs for the non-security upgrades if determined using June 2009 prices, when the upgrades were built, would amount to R 7 814 155.
The Concourt ordered Zuma to pay for the building of a visitor’s centre, swimming pool, amphitheatre and a chicken run at his Nkandla home as recommended by the public protector Thuli Madonsela’s remedial action.
The Democratic Alliance called for the president to pay the full amount for the non-security upgrades, which meant that Zuma would have to fork out R8 884 364.
Zuma had initially ignored the Public Protector’s remedial action, arguing in parliament that he did not ask for any of the non-security upgrades.
The ANC-led ad hoc committee into the matter had also found that the president was not liable to pay for any of the upgrades.
The total cost of the upgrades at the president’s homestead caused a national outcry when it was reported to have cost a staggering R246-million, prompting opposition parties to ask the public protector to investigate.