President Jacob Zuma Ordered To Pay Billions Of Money He Stole From South Africans

The President of South Africa EGH. Jacob G. Zuma. PHOTO: GALLERY

 South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma was today, Thursday, March 31 found guilty of violating the country’s constitution when he spent KSh 2.3 billion of tax payers’ monies to refurbish his sprawling home in KwaZulu Natal province.

According to CNN International, the Constitutional Court ruled that he had breached the constitution when he spent money on renovations unrelated to security but on a swimming pool, an amphitheater and other home improvements like building a visitors’ center, a chicken run and a cattle kraal.

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma’s KwaZulu Natal home in Nkandla. Image: Times Live
The BBC said that, in a monumental ruling, the Court ordered Zuma to repay all the monies back from his personal wealth within 45 days after the Treasury determined how much he should pay. The Treasury was given 60 days to determine the amount.

“The government will reflect on the judgment and take appropriate action,” said a government statement as quoted in the BBC.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was also quoted as saying that the Public Protector who litigated the case was a ‘biblical David’ fighting against the Goliath of corruption.

An anti-corruption body known as the public prosecutor had ruled in 2014 that Zuma had spent ill-gotten wealth on his rural home at the expense of the tax payers.

“As the head of state and the head of the national executive, his is the highest calling to the highest office of the land. He is the first citizen of the country and occupies an indispensable position. He has an obligation to uphold the constitution which he and the National Assembly did not do,” said Mogoeng in a televised ruling to the entire nation.

Before being filed in court, the Public Protector that had investigated his illegal spending has told Zuma to repay the monies he’d used but the president refused to do so.

According to CNN, Zuma said that the findings were merely recommendations and not legal court orders after having a police enquiry into his house done. The police did not find any wrong doing on Zuma’s part.

When things begun spiraling out of control, Zuma offered to pay back some of the monies but the opposition parties pressed forward with their lawsuits and even begun calling for his impeachment.

This ruling comes at a time when the South African public expressed discontent with Zuma’s leadership after it emerged he allowed outsiders to pick ministers in his government.

He also fired his finance minister Nhlanhla Nene after she shot down several controversial deals between the country and South Africa in a kSh 5 trillion nuclear deal with Russia.