Cape Town – A report on the multi-million rand upgrade to President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla residence has been declared top secret. 

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi told Parliament this week that the document would not be made public as State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele declared the presidential task team’s report in terms of the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS).

This means that not even Auditor General Terence Nombembe or Public Protector Thuli Madonsela will be able to see the report.

According to Eyewitness News, National Assembly speaker Max Sisulu has been waiting three months for Nxesi to table the Nkandla report.

Sisulu’s understanding was that the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, which meets behind closed doors, would deal with sensitive parts related to security but that parts dealing with construction, over-charging and other possible fraud or corruption could be referred to other committees that are open to the public. 

DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said the MISS had been created by Cabinet but never passed through Parliament and thus cannot be considered law. 

Mazibuko told the Cape Times that the DA would table a motion in the joint standing committee of intelligence for the report to be sent back to Nxesi.

“The minister must thereafter submit to Parliament a redacted report, which must be made public before the relevant, open portfolio committees.

“The minister must also submit copies… to the public protector and the auditor-general.”

Speaking to Talk Radio 702 on Thursday, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said he hoped the details of the spending on Nkandla would be released to the public soon.

“There are further investigative processes and from a government point of view we want to know who overcharged, to what extent and how do we recover the money. I hope my colleagues can give those facts to the public soon,” said Gordhan.

News24