Cape Town – Cabinet ministers in the security cluster met with Public Protector Thuli Madonsela on Friday following the release of parts of a provisional report into President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead upgrade. 

Madonsela “recommitted” herself to “following the proper process of handling such reports”, government spokesperson Phumla Williams said in a statement.

“The security cluster wishes to reiterate the integrity of government’s own investigation into the Nkandla security upgrades. 

“This investigation established, among other things, that no state funds had been spent on improving Zuma’s private houses at Nkandla,” Williams said.

She said that while government still believed the security upgrades were justified, the manner in which the department of public works handled the matter was inappropriate.

Government’s own investigation found there had been irregularities in the appointment of service providers and the procurement of goods and services.

Madonsela found a swimming pool, visitors’ centre, amphitheatre, cattle kraal, marquee area, extensive paving, and new houses for relatives included in the upgrade at “enormous cost” to the taxpayer, the Mail & Guardian reported on Friday.

Madonsela’s report recommended the president be called to account by Parliament for violating the executive ethics code on two counts.

These were for failing to protect state resources, and misleading Parliament for suggesting he and his family had paid for all non-security-related features.

One of the key allegations listed in the report stated that costs escalated from an initial R27m to R215m, with a further R31m in works outstanding. News24