Innocent Zuma's name dropped again – Minister

Police Minister Nathi Nhleko yesterday portrayed President Jacob Zuma as an innocent victim whose name had been abused by officials trying to expedite the R246m Nkandla project at his private home, notes a Business Day report. It says Nhleko and Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi appeared before Parliament’s special committee probing the exorbitant spending at Nkandla to respond to outstanding questions from MPs arising from their visit to Nkandla last week. At issue is Nhleko’s finding that Zuma does not have to repay any of the money spent there. Nhleko told the committee that there appeared ‘to be a disturbing tendency to invoke the name of the President to move the project along’. There was also a tendency in the public service to drop names in order to get things done in a particular way, he said. DA leader Mmusi Maimane said this was reminiscent of the excuses made when the wealthy Gupta family was allowed to land a chartered aircraft carrying wedding guests at Air Force Base Waterkloof. Despite claims that ‘No 1’ (Zuma) requested it, junior officials were blamed for ‘name-dropping’.