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The Minister of Public Works, Nathi Nhleko, has revealed that 8 of the 14 companies contracted to carry out the infamous upgrades to Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead have since been rehired by the Department to perform other work, notwithstanding their involvement in the R250 million scandal.

The Minister also confirmed that not a single one of the 14 companies involved in these upgrades has been blacklisted, or “placed on the restricted supplier database”.

In his reply to a DA written parliamentary question, the Minister of Public Works confirms that according to the records at the Department’s disposal, from 1 August 2014 to date, the following companies who were involved in the Nkandla upgrades have been contracted by the Department:

This is a shocking revelation considering the Constitutional Court found these upgrades to be fraught with corruption and unlawful enrichment, and once again proves that the more connected and corruptible you are, the more valuable to the ANC government you become, and the more illegitimate money you can make.

The DA will be referring this matter to the Chief Procurement Officer at the National Treasury to immediately intervene in this matter, and to conduct an assessment as to whether any of the companies involved has breached the Supply Change Management (SCM) policy and/or the National Treasury Regulations. We are adamant that any company or individual who unduly benefitted from carrying out work at Nkandla must be blacklisted and held accountable for their actions.

We also note yesterday’s suspicious U-turn by Minister Nhleko, whereby he cancelled a press briefing scheduled for today in which he planned to “set the record straight” on further upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead. No reasons were given for the cancellation. I will therefore be submitting written questions to the Minister, seeking an explanation for the proposed new upgrades at Nkandla.

I wish to once again make it clear that the DA rejects any new or further upgrades to the President’s Nkandla home, regardless of how they are described or categorised by national government. We maintain that not another cent of taxpayers’ money must be spent at Nkandla for the benefit of one man.

Corruption is an evil that enriches the elite at the expense of the poor and the jobless. The DA will not stop until all those who are involved in corruption and any abuse of public funds are held to the highest account.

Issued by DA