Police Minister Nathi Nhleko yesterday delivered the final report into the upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead and here are a few key points:
1. The firepool, animal enclosure with culvert and chicken run, amphitheatre and visitors’ centre were strategic and necessary security arrangements.
2. The president is as much of a South African as every other citizen and entitled to the rights that every citizen enjoys.
3. Most of the structures and task teams that investigated the upgrades did not share a common definition of what constitutes security features.
4. The project management process was not properly structured and coordinated.
5. The manner in which this matter had been handled in former investigations has sought to question the credibility and integrity of professionals and experts in their relevant fields.
6. The extent of the investigations as well as the intrusion into the private residence of the president has resulted in a violation of his rights.
Recommendations
» The State President is not liable to pay for any of these security features.
» The outstanding security related work should be funded and completed expeditiously. This includes boosting firefighting capacity – i.e. eight hose reels, additional fire hydrants and a booster pump.
» Current physical security measures need to be re-evaluated.