Zuma a 'kept politician', report reveals
2012-12-07 08:08
Johannesburg - A secret auditor’s report shows how a long
list of benefactors funded President Jacob Zuma’s extravagant lifestyle by more
than R7m.
The Mail & Guardian on Friday detailed how crucial evidence in the case against
Zuma was kept hidden when the NPA abandoned plans to prosecute him.
The KPMG report reveals that Zuma was a “kept politician”
who accepted money and favours not only from Schabir Shaik but also from Nelson
Mandela - who gave him a cheque of R1m only days after Mbeki axed Zuma as his
deputy in June of 2005.
At this point Zuma was overdrawn on his bank accounts by R400 000.
Other benefactors included businessmen like Jurgen
Kögl,
Vivian Reddy, his nephew Khulubuse Zuma and arms companies like Thomson-CSF
(later renamed Thales) and Ferrostaal, which won a submarine
contract.
Banks also bent over backwards to accommodate Zuma despite
his terrible credit rating and regular defaulting on loans.
The report was part of the Scorpions’ preparation for Zuma’s
appearance in court in 2006, but when the case was struck from the roll, it was
never admitted into evidence.
The report states: "The financial position of Zuma
deteriorated over time, mainly as a result of the fact of the shortage in daily
funding required to fund his lifestyle… Zuma’s cash requirements by far
exceeded his ability to fund such requirements from his salary."
- Full KPMG report.
