Articles by "Jacob zuma"
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Caesar Nongqunga made the order during a service held at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium, which was also attended by Zuma.

The “chief apostle” of the Twelve Apostles Church in Christ on Sunday ordered his alleged 4.5 million members to abandon other banks and switch to VBS Bank.

The bank became famous for financing President Jacob Zuma to repay to the state some of the upgrades to his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

Caesar Nongqunga made the order at an international thanksgiving service held at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium, which was also attended by Zuma himself.

The motivation for Nongqunga urging members to abandon the big banks was his own failure to secure a loan of R2 million from First National Bank to buy a property to build a church. He told the estimated 15 000 people in the stadium that FNB had refused to accept his existing life insurance policy as security for the loan.

“Every member of the Twelve Apostles Church, take out your money from any other bank and put it in this bank. I am going to do the same. Similarly the church will do the same.”

He said VBS would then establish a subsidiary bank with the money. The head office of this bank would be in East London and it would have branches in Umtata, Durban, and Johannesburg.

“I don’t expect any member then to be banking with any other bank except VBS bank. We must bank with our own bank,” Nongqunga said.

VBS Bank came to public attention earlier this year when if gave Zuma a loan to repay the costs of the non-security upgrades at his Nkandla homestead.

VBS Bank was established in 1982 as the Venda Building Society and became a mutual bank in the early 1990s with most of its customers living in Limpopo province.

Comment could not immediately be obtained from VBS Bank or FNB.

Apart from Zuma, KwaZulu-Natal premier Willes Mchunu attended the service, as did eThekwini metro mayor Zandile Gumede – both of whom told the congregants that Zuma was being unfairly targeted.

“He is being attacked by the devil and the devil is using Judas Iscariot. Satan is even using the people closest to him,” Gumede said.

 Also Read: Gareth Cliff comes out on allegations that he ‘spiked’ Mara Louw’s drink

Mere mortals should not judge Zuma and had no right to do so. “It is only Jehovah that can judge him. Who are you to judge him?” she said.

– African News Agency (ANA)
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President Jacob Zuma’s brother is so anxious about growing public anger against the president that he believes the ANC leader should quit politics — or risk being killed‚ the Sunday reported.

Michael Zuma and his wife Thembekile MaXulu Zuma spoke to the Sunday Times this week at their home in Nkandla‚ where they expressed their fears for the president’s life amid growing calls for him to step down.

“My brother is having a very difficult time and I have never seen such difficulty. My brother has such difficulty in such a way that you fear that they are going to kill him‚” said Michael.

His wife added that some members of the family thought that if Zuma resigned and returned home to Nkandla he would “be safe from these enemies“‚ the Sunday Times report said.


Source: Sunday Times
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Edward says anyone who would try to kill the president, would have to kill him first.

President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward Zuma says his uncle has reason to be concerned about the president’s safety although he is not under any known threat.

According to the Sunday Times, president Zuma’s brother, Michael Zuma and his wife Maxulu, fear that Zuma’s enemies might kill him and say it would be safer if he went back to Nkandla.

During a sitting in Parliament earlier this month, president Zuma pleaded with the presiding officer to protect him from what he called abuse in the National Assembly.

But Edward says anyone who would try to kill the president, would have to kill him first.

“This a reaction you’d expect from my brother. It shows the love Michael Zuma has for his brother. What people would then want to believe I don’t think they shouldn’t read into that? 

“If anybody would want to kill him, that person would have to start killing men first because I’ll defend my father with my life.”

ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu wants to change Parliament’s rules to create new measures to defend Zuma against abusive members of Parliament.

The paper is reporting that Mthembu has written to Parliament’s Rules Committee to consider how to deal with circumstances where people do things in defiance and outside of the rules

In Parliament earlier this month the Economic Freedom Fighters and other parties staged a walk out as president Zuma was about to address the national assembly, calling him a criminal and a thief.

Mthembu is reportedly under pressure to tame opposition parties and down the noise that has made Zuma uncomfortable every time he visits parliament.

Opposition parties have strongly rejected the move and are ready to oppose it in Parliament.
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The Defence and Military Veterans Department has budgeted R100m to  lease a VIP jet for the 2016/17 year, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Monday.

She was replying to a written question from Democratic Alliance MP Kobus Marais, which released on Monday.

Marais wanted to know what the budget allocated to the “leasing of the VIP-configured jet as per the Armaments Corporation of South Africa’s tender ETEL/2016/12 and when will the aircraft leased under the specified tender be delivered to the SA Air Force?”

Mapisa-Nqakula replied that the request for offer was issued on August 18. If a successful bid was received, they anticipated the aircraft would be delivered to the SA Air Force by November 1.

Marais on Monday said this amounted to R273 972 per day for the lease of a presidential jet for Zuma, more than double the price of a first class round-trip to London.

“There can be absolutely no justification for such extravagance while the South African economy is under extraordinary fiscal pressure and facing a potential ratings downgrade,” he said.

He said VIP travel had become a fiscal black hole that was costing South Africans hundreds of millions.

Source: News24
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National Treasury has confirmed payment has been received from President Jacob Zuma.

President Jacob Zuma has paid for non-security upgrades to his private Nkandla home, the National Treasury said on Monday, in line with a court order issued in March.

"We can confirm as the National Treasury that the payment has been received," a spokesperson for the Treasury said.

In June, the Treasury said that Zuma should pay R7.8 million for the non-security upgrades, after the Constitutional Court in March ordered Zuma to pay back some of the estimated R250 million of state money spent upgrading his private home.


The court had given Treasury 60 days from the March judgment date to determine how much the president owed.

Zuma was then given 45 days to pay the final amount.

The Presidency says Zuma secured the cash through a loan from VBS Mutual Bank, which it says is one of the few financial institutions that offers loans for land owned by traditional authorities.

Taxpayer money had been used to build non-security features including a swimming pool, ampitheatre, chicken run and cattle enclosure. 

Read the Presidency statement on the matter.

Source: Eyewitness News
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Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has told ANC supporters at a rally in Johannesburg that his party will root out all forms of corruption at the wards it wins in the August 3 elections.

Zuma was speaking at the party’s final rally at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, saying the ANC will only appoint those who are “qualified”.

“Good governance is the cornerstone of a well-run city or town,” Zuma said.

“The ANC wants an end to all forms of corruption and will diligently pursue all those who are corrupt.

Zuma said the ANC would insist that councils employ appropriately qualified or experienced senior personnel.

“We discourage municipalities from outsourcing the basic services they are able to render themselves.

“We will also ensure that services are procured whenever possible from a local community and where municipal services remain the core function of municipalities.”


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Zuma also said the ANC will prioritise citizen care, and will treat people with “respect, dignity and courtesy” when they visit municipal offices for assistance.

The current ANC president was received with song by the thousands of supporters that initially packed the stadium.

Hundreds of people started leaving the stadium as Zuma’s speech progressed, especially those sitting in the shade as a chilly breeze swept through the venue.

The party risks not winning a majority in the Tshwane metro, according to polls, and the vote in Johannesburg could be close too.

He sang his trademark song, Mshini Wami, after finishing his speech.

Source: News24
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The National Treasury has determined that President Jacob Zuma must pay back a little more than R7.8m for non-security upgrades at his Nkandla home.

This was according to the report by Treasury submitted to the Constitutional Court on Monday.

“The reasonable percentage of the estimated costs of the five measures that the president would have to pay personally would be 87.94%.

“The percentage corresponds to R7‚814‚155 as at June 2009‚” the Treasury said in the report.

In a terse statement on Monday‚ the Treasury confirmed it had submitted its report but referred all questions to the Constitutional Court.

“The Constitutional Court ordered on March 31 2016 that the National Treasury must determine a reasonable percentage of the costs of those measures which ought to be paid personally by the President (and) … report back to this court on the outcome of its determination within 60 days of the date of this order‚” it said.

“The National Treasury‚ has in line with the court’s order‚ submitted its report on the President’s homestead in Nkandla to the court.”

The Treasury referred all queries to the court.

In its March ruling‚ the Constitutional Court found that the findings of the public protector were binding and that Zuma’s failure to comply with the remedial action taken against him‚ by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela in her 2014 report Secure in Comfort‚ was inconsistent with the Constitution.
The court also ordered that the Treasury determine the “reasonable costs” of those measures implemented by the Department of Public Works at Zuma’s home‚ which did not relate to security.

These were the visitors’ centre; the amphitheatre; the cattle kraal; the chicken run and the swimming pool only.

Zuma would have to pay within 45 days of the court’s approval of the Treasury’s report.

Source: TMG Digital/BDlive
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South African President Jacob Zuma, who was heading a peace mission to Burundi, was unable to leave the country due to aircraft problems, the Presidency said on Saturday.
"President Zuma was unable to leave Burundi when his aircraft Inkwazi developed technical problems," the Presidency said.
Zuma was due to leave Burundi on Friday after completing the visit. He was still in the country on Saturday morning.
As a result, he would miss the 16th Annual National Teaching Awards ceremony in Johannesburg on Sunday, presidential spokesperson Bogani Majola added.
Zuma, who was a mediator during the 2000 peace agreement that ended Burundi's civil war, was mandated by the African Union (AU) to led a high-level delegation to Burundi, comprising five heads of state.
Zuma said on Friday that the delegation had successfully concluded its deliberations in Burundi, where they met the highest authorities including President Pierre Nkurunziza, leaders of political parties as well as religious and civil society leaders.
The delegation urged all parties to work together to find an inclusive political solution to the current crisis, Zuma said.
"We have had very fruitful and robust meetings with a cross section of representatives of Burundi and we have just finished the last meeting with His Excellency President Nkurunziza. All decisions of the visit will be communicated through the appropriate channels in a Communique to be issued," said Zuma.
Violence broke out last April when Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza declared to run for a third time. Hundreds of people have been killed.
Burundi's Parliament has rejected a plan of the AU to deploy peacekeepers to Burundi amid rising insecurity.
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President Jacob Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation address on Thursday under a cloud, after the Constitutional Court was asked to find that he violated the Constitution and his oath of office.
The president was seen to be weaker politically than ever before following Tuesday’s Nkandla Constitutional Court matter.

“We can safely say he is much weaker than he was the day before he fired [Finance Minister Nhlanhla] Nene. There’s no doubt about it and yesterday did not help. That kind of public humiliation did not help,” political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi said on Wednesday.
Judgment was reserved in the application by the Economic Freedom Fighters and Democratic Alliance to the Constitutional Court for an order that Zuma repay some of the R246m spent on his home in Nkandla.
In an about-turn last week, Zuma approached the Constitutional Court to ask that it order the Auditor General and finance minister to determine how much he owed for the non-security upgrades to Nkandla.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela however said only she could decide whether to change her recommendations, and, until this happened, Zuma had to abide by what she ordered.
Wim Trengove, for the EFF, told the court that Zuma violated the Constitution and his oath of office by ignoring Madonsela’s recommendations.
The president appeared to have thrown some Cabinet ministers and the National Assembly under the bus during the proceedings.
Jeremy Gauntlett, for Zuma, said the president accepted that the ministers involved in the controversy be reprimanded, and that this should be part of the court’s order.
He would however reject an order stating that he had been defiant, because this could be used against him in impeachment proceedings.
Matshiqi said he was not surprised by this move.
“What he has done, after people acted in his defence on Nkandla, in the manner that they did, sacrificing their integrity and their sense of dignity… throwing them under the bus, in the way that he did, it’s very clear his personal interests come before the interests of the party,” Matshiqi said.
Last year, the EFF disrupted Zuma’s speech with chants of “pay back the money”. This year, the party had threatened to interject to demand that Zuma explain why he fired Nene.
Matshiqi said people were going to be disappointed by Zuma’s speech.
“He’s going to tell us how bad things are, especially in terms of the economy. He’s going to talk about the delivery record of his administration and how well he has done. But when it comes to solutions there are only two places to go.
“One, how to avoid another down grade to junk status, two, how do you ameliorate the conditions of those who sit in the constituency of the ANC who are poor and working class.”
Matshiqi said he expected the downgrade would come in December.
Zuma had to worry about big business’ expectations. It was not going to be impressed with “rhetorical commitments” of public-private partnership, he said.
“I think he’s going to be very thin on that. He’s also going to be very thin on the aspirations of the poor. It’s going to be a disappointing Sona. It’s one of those things I would like to be wrong about.”
Source: News24
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Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Thursday rejected President Jacob Zuma’s settlement offer over taxpayer cash spent on his Nkandla homestead.


“He thinks he can play with us…"
“We’re not going to accept any settlement that doesn’t reaffirm the powers of Public Protector‚ that remedial actions are binding‚” he told a news briefing in Johannesburg.
Malema said since Zuma had flouted the office of the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and her powers‚ the institution was no longer respected as before.
“We can’t have a situation where Zuma’s drum majorettes in parliament insult the Public Protector.
“We can’t accept that the Public Protector can be told that she is not God and her remedial actions aren’t binding.”
Malema lambasted his former political chief‚ saying Zuma was in breach of his office as he did not protect the public purse.
“We’re here because the corrupt President of SA has made an admission that he is corrupt and that he will pay back the money.
“They made a proposed settlement and they expect us to respond.
“In his typical way of trying to control everything and influence judges‚ he took a copy to court. Zuma being Zuma writes to us and copies judges so he can influence them. He wants them to see him as a reasonable man. The judges responded saying that they’re not interested‚ because that is the matter between the parties and won’t get involved.”
South Africa is not going to be another failed African state under the watch of the EFF‚ he proclaimed.
“We’re not scared of anyone. We’re not scared of the Zuma and Parliament…
“This a man is collapsing the country. We’re not scared of being beaten up. We’re prepared to die for protection of the Constitution.
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President Jacob Zuma knows exactly what he is going to do when he retires – write.
“When I retire in a few years’ time, I will have time to write and I will say this is what black people did to their son who went to school and educated himself. They tortured him… when he was given responsibility.
“But he did not care about being tortured because he had been tortured before. I will explain it and tell you who tortured me. I will just be telling a story.”
Zuma was speaking in his capacity as the patron of the Jacob Zuma Foundation on Friday afternoon.
The foundation was bidding farewell to 19 students leaving to study at the American University of Nigeria, in Nigeria.
Having grown up in a poor family Zuma said he was proud to have educated himself. “Even if you call me a dog, I won’t say anything because I know that I am a human being.”
‘Wonderful story of Gedleyihlekisa’
He said one of his dreams was to build a library. “I think when retire and sit back, one of my passions is to build a library before I retire and die. I will wake up in the morning and go there and write.
“I want to write and tell my story because to me it is a wonderful story of Gedleyihlekisa,” he said.
“When I write I will have time to talk about education and what it means on the record… I will talk about how important it is to use the little education you have.
“When I tell my story, I will tell you why some people hurl insults at me… it is because of education. But that is nothing to me.”
Zuma said he often tells the Zuma clan that education is the key to success. “I want all the Zumas to create an education fund so that they can get an education…”
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Fellow South Africans
As we start  year 2016, let me take this opportunity to thank all citizens for their contribution in various ways to making South Africa a better place.
Each passing year, our country moves forward, towards a better life for all, against many odds.
We worked harder again this year.
Millions of children of the poor and the working class receive free basic education and nutrition in schools and more schools were built to improve the learning environment.
More students from poor households received funding for higher education in 2015, and this matter will receive further attention in the New Year.
More elderly people and the poor receive free medical care in government health facilities. South Africans are living longer due to improving health care.
The life expectancy is now 62 years of age, which is an increase of eight percent since 2005.
More people receive social grants to enable them to put food on the table, especially orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly and persons with disability.
Progress has been made in various other aspects, including our participation in the international arena.
However, more hard work awaits us all in 2016 as challenges still remain.
Our goal is to build a South Africa where economic opportunities increase for all and not just a few, and where inequality, poverty and unemployment become a thing of the past.
In this regard, the pursuit of economic transformation will continue.
We have to work further in 2016 to achieve broader and more meaningful black economic empowerment and participation in the economy. This will ensure long-term economic development as well as unity, healing and reconciliation in our country.
In the short-term, for many of our people, including our unemployed graduates and all young people, success in 2016 will mean finding jobs.
We will continue to focus on the areas we had mentioned in the 2015 State of the Nation Address, in what we called the Nine Point Plan to ignite economic growth and create jobs.
We will need labour and business to work with government closely, as we create the enabling environment for inclusive growth and job creation.
We will further explore opportunities in agriculture, mining, small business development, energy, growing the country’s ocean economy, transport, water and sanitation and telecommunications.
We will also work further to improve the functioning, performance and governance of state owned companies.
We will continue stabilising the labour market, and to pursue agreement on the national minimum wage.
Information on all these matters will be provided further in the 2016 state of the nation address. We will also consolidate the gains of democracy in 2016, by taking local government transformation and performance forward, through the Back to Basics campaign.
In this regard, we should all register to vote in the coming local government elections and use our hard-won right to vote.
Importantly, we should remember that we all share the responsibility of building our country.
There is a lot that is good and great about South Africa and its people.
Let us highlight our achievements more in 2016, and then work together to fix what still needs attention.
I wish all citizens a Happy and successful New Year!
Remember to drive safely on the way back home from the holidays and to cooperate with law enforcement officers on the roads!
We also wish all tourists and visitors to our beautiful country a wonderful stay in South Africa and a happy 2016!
I thank you.

Source: sabreakingnews.
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A picture of President Jacob Zuma riding a quad bike is making the rounds on Facebook.

On Saturday many Facebook users shared a picture of Zuma relaxing at his Nkandla home in KwaZulu-Natal. It is believed that the picture was taken at the weekend.
The photographer is unknown.
A source close to the family told News24 that the quad bike was a present the president received from his children for his 72nd birthday last year.
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