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We’ll help Zuma pay – Mabuza

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David Mabuza
David Mabuza

Now that the National Treasury has determined how much President Jacob Zuma should pay back for the non-security upgrades at his home in Nkandla, the ANC in Mpumalanga has reiterated its willingness to help the president repay the R7.8 million.

The provincial executive committee, regions and leagues were the first ANC structures in the country to offer financial assistance to Zuma in April, after the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma must abide by the remedial actions in Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report.

At that time, Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza said that if Zuma could not afford to repay the National Treasury and asked ANC members to help him, they would raise the funds.

“He is the president of the ANC, and if he doesn’t have money, perhaps he can request members of the ANC to help him to pay,” Mabuza said.

Mpumalanga ANC secretary, Mandla Ndlovu, said the party’s position on the matter had not changed. Ndlovu said Zuma has so far not made a request for financial assistance.

“Our offer was conditional. If he requests [help], we will see how we can help him. There has been no formal request from the president and, therefore, there is no plan from us,” Ndlovu said.

“It seems, however, that everything he has will go to the Treasury ... it’s obvious he won’t have money for food,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, ANC leaders and the presidency have warned members of the public to avoid becoming the victim of fraudsters who were claiming to be raising funds for the president.

The Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust, which raised legal fees in Zuma’s rape and corruption cases, was inactive, according to one of its last surviving members, Sizwe Shezi.

Shezi said the trust had raised funds for a specific purpose. There are no plans to revive it.

Two of the key figures involved in the trust, businessmen Sifiso Zulu and Don Mkhwanazi, have died.

Sipho Khuzwayo, the head of the Seven Buses a Day Kingdom of Heaven Crusade, has come to City Press twice to share visions from God telling him that “Zuma should pay back the money” for the upgrades, otherwise he risked facing a “bitter end”.

He had a vision in July 2015 and another one earlier this year.

Yesterday, after delivering his sermons on buses to Umlazi, Inanda and Lamontville, Khuzwayo told City Press that he believed the R7.8 million was not enough.

“They are talking about some of the money. The revelation said all of it.

“Spiritually, I think he is still going to be in trouble,” said Khuzwayo, who has never met Zuma.

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