South Africa: Last night, during an SABC interview, President Jacob Zuma misled the nation by declaring that he had done "absolutely nothing wrong", relating to the R246 million of taxpayers' money spent at his private Nkandla residence. The President also misrepresented the report of the Public Protector.

Millions of Rands of public funds were squandered on one man, thus for the President to state on national television that he has done nothing wrong, is in dereliction of his duties to protect the public purse and the interests of the state.

It appears that the President has not read the Public Protector report, which explicitly states that he unduly benefited from the non-security upgrades at his ostentatious KwaZulu Natal home. The Public Protector report further states that President Zuma must pay "a reasonable percentage of the cost", which to date he has not done.

As most South Africans are aware, the Public Protector report also states that President Zuma "tacitly accepted" the non-security upgrades and he directly appointed one of the contractors. He is therefore implicated in wrongdoing.

The only reports to clear the President of wrongdoing are those compiled by the Special Investigating Unit, the Interministerial Task Team, which both report to the President, and the whitewash report of the ANC-only Nkandla Ad Hoc Committee.

The Democratic Alliance will continue to monitor the Public Protector's court challenge and the SAPS investigation into corruption against President Zuma. Through Parliament, we will also ensure that the President responds to the tough unanswered questions asked by the Public Protector.

Mmusi Maimane

Deputy Federal Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance | Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance