Cosatu: Nothing new in Nkandla report
2013-01-28 16:50
Johannesburg - A report detailing the costs for President
Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home, in KwaZulu-Natal, has revealed nothing new, Congress
of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Monday.
"In relation to... the Nkandla saga, there is
nothing new that has come up, in our view, from that particular report,"
Gauteng Cosatu secretary Dumisani Dakile told journalists in Johannesburg.
"In fact, some of these issues are ones we have been
raising for some time - the fact that government has no capacity to do
anything. Everything is outsourced."
On Sunday, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said the
government spent R206m on security upgrades and consultants for the home.
Included in this amount was R135m for the
"operational needs" of various government departments, and R71m for
consultants and security features such as bullet proof windows, security
fencing, evacuation mechanisms and fire-fighting equipment, he told reporters
in Pretoria.
Also included in the total was R26m to make changes to the
project (variation orders).
State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele said neither Zuma
nor his family had any input on the security upgrade.
"They were not involved with the design and
installation of security measures."
Nxesi said Zuma was informed of the security upgrades,
but did not know any of the details.
Dakile said it was "not surprising" that
corrupt officials benefited unfairly by outsourcing work on the home.
"People in government must choose whether they want
to serve the people, or they want to be in business," he said.
"We know for a fact that there are people who are
charging the state R200 for a loaf of bread."
He said the national office of Cosatu was studying the
report and would release a detailed statement on it at a later stage.
- SAPA
