S. Africa's president ordered to pay back $500,000

JOHANNESBURG (AA) – South Africa’s National Treasury said on Monday that President Jacob Zuma will have to pay back 7.8 million rand ($509,000) for non-security upgrades made on his private home during renovations funded by the state.

Three months ago, South Africa’s constitutional court found Zuma guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to comply with an anti-corruption watchdog which had ordered him to pay back some of the money.

The constitutional court then ordered the National Treasury to determine a reasonable amount that Zuma should repay for non-security upgrades included to his private home.

In a 2014 report, the anti-corruption watchdog accused Zuma of misusing public money for upgrading his country home in Nkandla village, KwaZulu Natal province.

Security upgrades on Zuma’s home were supposed to have cost the state $2.5 million but other additions such as a cattle enclosure, amphitheater and swimming pool saw the cost skyrocket to some $23 million.

Zuma had always said he had done nothing wrong and was adamant he would not pay back the money, but changed his mind after opposition parties dragged him to the constitutional court.

The upgrade of Zuma’s Nkandla homestead had become a huge political matter in South Africa, with opposition parties using the issue to boo Zuma whenever he entered parliament.

The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomed the decision by the treasury but insisted the president should personally pay back the money to the state and not be assisted.

“However, paying back the money does not mean the original corruption is forgotten,” DA leader Mmusi Maimane said in a statement.

“This is not the end of the road for Jacob Zuma and his corrupt cronies; it has only just begun” he added.