Democratic Alliance MP, Anchen Dreyer revealed before the House of Parliament on Thursday that R117 million had been spent on security at Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead. Consider that R45 million was spent to construct a top of the range jail in Kimberly last year. That’s 260% more spent on one man, than a criminal incarceration facility, housing hundreds of people.

During the breakdown of the Nkandla security costs, Dreyer revealed the names of the companies who benefitted from the the security installations. According to Dreyer these companies received payment on behalf of “bona fide” security contracts at Nkandla.

The companies involved were:

• Bonelena Construction Enterprises & Projects, paid for work on “emergency works”.
• Moneymine received a contract for security measures inside the house.
• Natal Parkhomes were paid to provide accommodation for members of the SAPS and SANDF.
• Pro-Hydraulics were paid for the supply and installation of a mobile generator.
• South African Bullet Resistant Glass were paid for installation of bulletproof glass.
• Betafence Projects South Africa were paid for the supply and installation of a high security fence.
• Otis installed lifts within multiple houses on the homestead.
• E Magubane was paid for the installation of “phase 11 security measures”.

And all the above added up to the R177 million, according to Dreyer.

Public Works Minister, Thulas Nxesi is responsible for the security upgrades to Zuma’s homestead, and his department would have overseen the construction of the new jail in Kimberly. He did not refute the point that 260% more had been spent on Zuma’s homestead security, than on the construction of a brand new jail.

Nxesi said:

We said it publicly [when releasing the preliminary report] that there were irregularities in the supply chain and there was overpricing which we were suspecting, hence we said we are subjecting those issues to further investigation.

I’m not sure what is this thing which is new that you are trying to say here.

The DA’s allegations came a day after National Assembly speaker, Max Sisulu announced he had received a letter form Public Works Minister, Thulas Nxesi regarding the tabling of the report by the department’s task team for the security upgrades.

[Source: Mail & Guardian]