Jacob Zuma’s R246 million Nkandla homestead deteriorating in front of everyone’s eyes

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, said that it is not their responsibility to maintain Nkandla’s chicken coops, cattle kraals, and swimming pools.

Macpherson shared this information in response to a Parliamentary question from Pumlani Kubukeli about former President Jacob Zuma’s private home in Nkandla.

Kubukeli is a Member of the National Assembly for the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MK Party), where Zuma serves as President.

He asked whether Macpherson had been informed that the private residence of former President Jacob Zuma in Nkandla had deteriorated significantly.

This deterioration, Kubukeli said, was due to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s failure to conduct regular maintenance on the property.

He asked why the residence has not received regular maintenance despite its status as a National Key Point.

Kubukeli suggested that this failure and neglect may warrant an intervention from the President of the Republic, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Macpherson responded, saying it was not their responsibility to maintain chicken coops, cattle kraals, amphitheatres, swimming pools, or visitor centres.

“It is not the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s responsibility to maintain non-security upgrades that took place at Nkandla,” he said.

“This is something that is well articulated in the Public Protector report in 2014, where it found that R246 million of public funds had been improperly spent.”

He said the report showed that the state’s expenditure exceeded what was reasonably required for the President’s security.

“The spending on Zuma’s Nkandla private home was unconscionable, excessive, and caused a misappropriation of public funds,” he said.

Macpherson said that the Nkandla upgrades should never have been the Department’s responsibility in the first place.

“How the former President wishes to maintain his property is entirely within his discretion and not the responsibility of the State,” he said.

Maintenance on the former Heads of State’s houses

Macpherson said his Department is aware of its obligations regarding maintenance at National Key Points and at the private residences of former Heads of State.

“Maintenance work at the private residences of all former Presidents is limited to security installations,” he said.

“This maintenance work is determined and requested by the South African Police Services (SAPS).”

He explained that it only allows state resources to be dedicated to physical security, access control, and operational support.

The regulations exclude explicit budgetary limits for the security of sitting and former South African presidents.

“The State is strictly responsible for security features and the housing of security personnel,” he said.

“Normal maintenance and basic upkeep of the private residence itself fall outside the State’s mandate.”

Macpherson said that if there is any confusion in this regard, Zuma is welcome to contact the Presidency or his office for further clarity.

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President Jacob Zuma’s private home in Nkandla

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