The IFP says that is shocked with the latest instance of abuse of state resources by the ANC-led government, with more taxpayer funds having been channelled into a project that seems to benefit mainly President Jacob Zuma’s private residence at Nkandla.
The Middledrift water scheme ‘launched’ yesterday is only two kilometres away from President Zuma’s homestead.
In attendance was Minister Edna Molewa, Deputy Minister Babara Thompson, Premier Senzo Mchunu, the Mayor of Uthungulu, Thandeka Mchunu, and the Mayors of Umthonjaneni and Umlalazi.
In front of the IFP’s Mayor of Nkandla, Mr Ntuli and Blessed Gwala, the event funded for by taxpayer money was turned into an ANC rally where insults where hurled at the IFP, which controls the Municipality in which President Zuma resides.
“It is clear that the upcoming elections will neither be free and fair when one considers the extent of the abuse of state resources that are now so blatantly being used for ANC campaign efforts,” said Gwala.
The Mulderdrift plant and reservoir will serve Ward 14 in Nkandla, where the president’s private home is situated, in the KwaNxamalala area.
This while tens of thousands of people in other Nkandla wards are without a reliable supply of clean water. Many communities are being forced to use rivers, alongside livestock, for their daily water needs.
According to an answer given in the Assembly by Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs BEE Molewa in November 2012, the following features would be constructed at the Middledrift Water Project Phase 2, which channels water to the president’s homestead:
A reservoir
A pump station
A water treatment plant
A water treatment works
A purification plant.
It is important to note, that ALL these were planned after the president took office in 2009.
“How much more money must the taxpayer contribute, to keep our president in the style he thinks he is entitled to? We strongly condemn the ANC robbing the public pursue to fund their own election campaign efforts,” said Mr Blessed Gwala, the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Province.
The Public Protector has already confirmed that nearly R250 million of taxpayers’ money was paid on the president’s complex for buildings and improvements.
“In addition, two new road networks worth R582-million have been built to KwaNxamalala, Nkandla – thanks mostly to state funds,” said Gwala.
The IFP calls on the Public Protector to also investigate the costs, tender procedures, and so on, of the infrastructure laid around and to the president’s private home.
“The ANC’s abuse of state resources should not be tolerated any further. South Africans must rise up and say enough is enough. The very notion of our democracy is at stake when our Government is allowed to freely pillage the public purse with impunity,” concluded Gwala.
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