Nkandla Upgrades: Public Works Official Says He Was Pressured From Above to Sign Off on Non Security Upgrades

• The Pietermaritzburg High Court heard evidence that many of the non-security upgrades at Nkandla were carried out without approval
• Some of the non-security upgrades were inaccessible due to design flaws such as a basement parking garage that cost R4.9 million
• The court also heard that three private spaces in the homestead were fitted with air conditioning that totalled R4 million when the initial budget was R150 000

PIETERMARITZBURG - As the trial to retrieve the money spent on the non-security upgrades at the homestead of former President Jacob Zuma in Nkandla proceeds, evidence indicates that some of the upgrades were done without authorisation.

An official from the Department of Public Works told the Pietermaritzburg High Court in the instances where there was authorisation he was pressurised by people in authority to sign off on non-security upgrades.

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According to a witness, R4.9 million was spent on the construction of an underground parking garage, but it was never used since it could not be reached by automobiles.

The witness also said the parking garage was not a security requirement that was approved by the police or the military, according to TimesLIVE.

R8 million was spent on constructing a clinic that was not fitted with equipment. The location and the design of the clinic are said to have been worrying by Lieutenant-General Vejaynand Indurjith Ramlakan, former surgeon-general.

According to EWN, evidence also showed that R4 million was spent on air conditioning for three private spaces at the homestead. The initial budget was R150 000.

Minenhle Makhanya, the architect that was in charge of the Nkandla project is on trial for his involvement and the Special Investigating Unit wants to get back a total of R155 million from Makhanya.

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Makhanya is standing trial without any legal representation because he says he cannot afford it.

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Briefly News previously reported that the first witness in the corruption trial involving the security upgrades of former President Jacob Zuma's homestead took the stand on Monday and said there were a lot of issues that were found in the procurement processes of the project.

The witness appeared in camera at the Pietermaritzburg High Court and their identity has been kept anonymous for safety reasons.

The unnamed witness told the High Court that the initial budget for the upgrades at Zuma's home was R27 million, however, as time went on the budget began to increase as the project began to become more than what it was initially meant to be, according to a report by IOL.

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Source: Briefly News