The ANC today gave every indication that even more taxpayers’ money will be spent on upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s private residence at Nkandla.
ANC MP Cedric Frolick emhasised that the work at Nkandla was “incomplete”.
The National Assembly accepted Police Minister Nathi Nhleko’s highly contested report‚ which found that Zuma did not have to pay back a single cent of taxpayers’ money‚ in contradiction of the findings of Public Protector Thuli Madonesela.
Only the ANC voted in favour of the report. Every other major party voted against‚ with unusual vehemence.
“Vote your dormant conciousness. Vote against this report. Do the right thing‚ just for once. It may even feel good‚” said DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach‚ to no avail.
“Yes‚ push the green button‚ vote for this report so that your names can be published and your descendants can see who betrayed our dsemocracy‚” said Cope MP Deidre Carter.
And vote for the report the ANC MPs present did.
ANC MP Francois Beukman opined that with parliament’s acceptance of the report the matter would be closed‚ but opposition parties said the battle would continue in court.
In fact the EFF tried but failed to stop a parliamentary discussion of the report because the legal standing report is currently before the Constitutional Court‚ where a decision is pending.
National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete ‚ however‚ disagreed‚ oddly claiming that the Nhleko report was not part of the court application.
EFF MP Sipho Mbatha and DA MP John Steenhuisen said speaker Mbete was inconsistent – she always ruled against the opposition on similar sub judice positions‚ but not against the ANC‚ but Mbete remained unmoved and the debate went ahead.
Source: RDM News Wire.
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