Charges against officials not enough - Zuma must answer to Parliament

20 July 2014

The DA welcomes reports that the 13 officials, some of whom are senior officials in the Department of Public Works, have been charged in an internal disciplinary hearing for maladministration relating to the R246 million upgrades of Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead (see City Press report).

However, these charges will be mired in controversy as long as those in public office avoid accountability as well. We can't make scapegoats of relatively junior officials. All those implicated must face the law. 

The politicians involved in the Nkandla scandal can only be held accountable once President Zuma answers to Parliament, and acts on the recommendations made by the Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela. This includes paying back some of the money spent on his private residence.

The President's numerous delaying tactics - most recently seen with yet another delay in responding to the Nkandla Report - will make a mockery of the arrest of these officials. All must be treated equally before the law, even the President of the Republic.

That is also why the re-establishment of the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee on Nkandla must be prioritised as soon as possible. The DA will be making an announcement in this respect this week.

The charges laid against the departmental officials are an important step in the right direction, however, the buck does not stop there.

The DA will continue to fight to ensure that those who hold political office are ultimately held to account for this gross abuse of public money.

Statement issued by James Selfe MP, Chairperson of the DA's Federal Executive, July 20 2014

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