Presidency: Work continuing to implement remedial action

Friday, April 22, 2016

Pretoria – The Presidency says letters of reprimand have been sent to the Minister of Public Works, former Minister of Police and former Minister of Public Works following the Constitutional Court judgment of 31 March 2016.

The Constitutional Court ruled that the President pay back some of the money spent on the non-security upgrades to his private Nkandla residence, in line with the remedial action contained in the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report of 19 March 2014.

Work is continuing to implement the remedial action,” said the Presidency in a statement on Friday.

It said letters of reprimand have been sent to the Ministers involved, including Minister of Public Works Thulas Nxesi, former Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, former Minister of Public Works and South African High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Geoff Doidge.

Also, an Inter-departmental committee has been established by the Presidency to update the 2003 Cabinet Policy and to draft clear standards on the security measures that can be taken, the reasonable cost that can be incurred by the state and the conditions subject to which current and former Presidents and Deputy Presidents would qualify for such measures.     

The Presidency said the Department of Defence is drafting the Standard Operating Procedures regulating the implementation of the benefits extended to Presidents, Deputy Presidents, the Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence and foreign dignitaries at the request of the Minister of International Relations, which is aligned with the principles of equality, proportionality, reasonableness and justifiability. 

Further, the payment of a reasonable percentage of the cost of the measures will be done after the National Treasury has made a determination.

The Presidency said National Treasury is currently seized with the matter. – SAnews.gov.za