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Nkandla: South Africa's Zuma challenged in top court | Nkandla: South Africa's Zuma challenged in top court |
(about 1 hour later) | |
South Africa's top court is hearing an opposition case that the president must repay some of the $23m (£15m) of state funds used to renovate his home. | |
A 2014 report said Jacob Zuma had "benefited unduly" from the upgrades, which include a swimming pool. | |
He has offered to repay the money and the case is now about whether he broke the law by ignoring that report. | |
Protesters, led by former Zuma ally turned fierce opponent Julius Malema, have marched to the court. | Protesters, led by former Zuma ally turned fierce opponent Julius Malema, have marched to the court. |
Latest updates from court and protests | Latest updates from court and protests |
How Zuma's home has grown | How Zuma's home has grown |
The demonstration was against "corruption and cronyism", a spokesman for his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said. | |
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) also organised its own protest outside the court in Johannesburg, where there is a strong police presence. | |
Mr Zuma's ANC party called the protests a "political exercise". | |
'Unlawful enrichment' | 'Unlawful enrichment' |
The constitutional court is being asked to rule on whether the government flouted the law by ignoring recommendations of the 2014 report by the anti-corruption watchdog, known as the Public Protector. | The constitutional court is being asked to rule on whether the government flouted the law by ignoring recommendations of the 2014 report by the anti-corruption watchdog, known as the Public Protector. |
Mr Zuma's lawyer Jeremy Gauntlett conceded that the report was binding on him, and said the president was prepared to repay within 90 days money spent on "non-security features" at his private home in his home village of Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province. | |
Mr Zuma had been cleared of wrongdoing in a police report over his residence. | |
The then-police minister had said the upgrades were made to boost security, and the swimming pool was, in fact, a "fire pool" that could be used in the event a fire broke out at the residence. | |
The upgrade also include a chicken run and amphitheatre. | |
The hashtag #PayBackTheMoney, mirroring the slogan used by EFF members to taunt the president, has been trending in South Africa, as people comment on the case: | |
The saga has become a major political scandal, at one point sparking scuffles inside parliament. | The saga has become a major political scandal, at one point sparking scuffles inside parliament. |
EFF lawyer Wim Trengrove told the court the president had defied the Public Protector to unlawfully "enrich himself", South Africa's private News24 website reports. | EFF lawyer Wim Trengrove told the court the president had defied the Public Protector to unlawfully "enrich himself", South Africa's private News24 website reports. |
"His conduct at the time and response to the report was in violation of the constitution," Mr Trengrove is quoted as telling the judges. | "His conduct at the time and response to the report was in violation of the constitution," Mr Trengrove is quoted as telling the judges. |
The case comes at a difficult time for Mr Zuma, who has also been under fire over his handling of the finance ministry, after he sacked two ministers in a week. | |
Many South Africans also accuse his government of not doing enough to tackle corruption and poverty. | |
Analysis: Milton Nkosi, BBC News, Johannesburg | Analysis: Milton Nkosi, BBC News, Johannesburg |
Even though President Zuma has now offered to repay the money, the opposition EFF and Democratic Alliance insisted on pressing ahead with the case. | Even though President Zuma has now offered to repay the money, the opposition EFF and Democratic Alliance insisted on pressing ahead with the case. |
It is not that they do not want the president to pay; they do. | It is not that they do not want the president to pay; they do. |
But they want to set a precedent by reinforcing the powers of the Public Protector, the corruption watchdog office set up under the country's constitution. | But they want to set a precedent by reinforcing the powers of the Public Protector, the corruption watchdog office set up under the country's constitution. |
Mr Zuma had justified his reluctance to repay the state by reducing Thuli Madonsela's findings to mere recommendations and said they were not equal to orders given by a court of law. | Mr Zuma had justified his reluctance to repay the state by reducing Thuli Madonsela's findings to mere recommendations and said they were not equal to orders given by a court of law. |
The EFF smells blood - it hopes the Constitutional Court will conclude that the president contravened the constitution and therefore violated his oath of office. | The EFF smells blood - it hopes the Constitutional Court will conclude that the president contravened the constitution and therefore violated his oath of office. |
The opposition would then no doubt demand the president's impeachment. | The opposition would then no doubt demand the president's impeachment. |