Mbalula has been in the spotlight after his address at the
weekend in Barberton, Mpumalanga.
The public protector's report stated millions of rand was
misused in the building of Zuma’s private home after funds intended for the
construction of security features were instead used to build a visitors’
centre, amphitheatre, cattle kraal, chicken run and the controversial swimming
pool, which was called a “fire pool”. The Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to
personally pay back the money.
Amid backlash for his comments from senior party members,
including ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe and former police minister Nathi
Nhleko who told parliament the swimming pool was a fire pool, Mbalula is
unshaken.
“I stated historical facts about what happened. It is the
truth that we defended the man [Zuma]. It is a documented truth in court
records and we were dismissed about it. Our chief whip Jackson Mthembu spoke
about it in parliament and they apologised” Mbalula said on eNCA.
“We suffered, including losing votes, because of that. How
am I putting members of the ANC under the bus because it is an unexplainable
truth in the public domain by Nathi Nhleko as the minister of police [who said]
the pool is a fire pool?”
Nhleko said a report by engineers involved in the
construction of Nkandla described the pool as a fire pool.
“The fire pool does not come with me as the minister of
police; then nor does it come with anybody else except the group of engineers.
[Engineers] in assessing potential emergency situations around the homestead
made an analysis and said water availability within the homestead was a
problem. That is where the issue of the fire pool comes in as an open water
resource,” Nhleko said.
The ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula's bombshell on the
Nkandla saga has caused an uproar within the party, overshadowing the ANC's
112th anniversary celebrations. Tune into Newzroom Afrika DStv channel 405 for
more.
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