Things are falling apart in R8m Nkandla homes

The R8-million homesteads built to relocate President Jacob Zuma's family members - as part of the R246-million Nkandla upgrade - are falling apart.

A visit this week to the three homesteads built for Zuma's late younger brother, Muntukathenjwa Zuma, his late nephew, Sgodo Zuma, and his brother, Khanya Zuma, show:

• Cracks in the walls of the rondavels. Some cracks are 50cm from the foundation;
• Broken window panes;
• Poorly plastered walls; and
• Broken bathroom sinks and toilet seats.

The homesteads, separated by a fence from Zuma's compound, were moved in September 2009 to make way for the security upgrades to the president's private residence.

Zuma's architect, Minenhle Makhanya, who made R16.5-million from the Nkandla project, told the public protector the homesteads were moved because they would have affected the perimeter fence.

But, in her report, Thuli Madonsela was not convinced and said the argument that their removal was a security requirement was "not borne out by the documents prepared by security experts following the two security evaluations".

A family member at one of the homesteads, who asked not to be identified, pointed out several cracks in the walls.

She said the toilet seat broke within a week after the contractor had left.

The bathroom sink has become loose from the wall, and an electrical socket in one of the rondavels was left unconnected.

"We're very concerned about the state of these rondavels. Baba [Zuma] has been made aware of the cracks in the walls and he promised that they would fix it," said the woman.

She pointed out several broken window panes. In one rondavel, all the window panes have fallen out. "We can't even open the windows any more because they are falling off."

Madonsela said public works records showed the new structures included water and electricity installations and sewerage connections, built-in cupboards, roads, fences, paving and a kraal for each household.

But, apart from the fences, none of the installations have been completed. This raises questions about the R2-million cost per homestead. No roads and kraals have been built and none of the homesteads have built-in cupboards as suggested by the department of public works in Madonsela's report.

Two homesteads are not connected to electricity and running water, even though infrastructure for the provision of electricity and water was installed. Each homestead was provided with two water tanks.

The relocation of two households was done by Bonelela Construction Enterprise and Projects for R3.6-million, and that of 1.5 households was done by Moneymine 310 for R4.2-million.

Bonelela and Moneymine are owned by Durban businesswomen Thandeka Nene and Pamela Mfeka respectively.

A family insider said some new houses at Zuma's residence had also allegedly developed cracks. In the home of one of the first ladies, Nompumelelo Mantuli Zuma, they had deteriorated to such an extent that they had to be patched up recently.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi's legal adviser, Phillip Masilo, said the department was not aware of the defects in the relocated households, but it would investigate.

He said the contractor would be held liable if the defects were related to poor workmanship.

Regarding allegations about cracks in Zuma's home, Masilo said: "The president's home was built by the family at their own costs, not by the government. Therefore any defects will be dealt with privately, unless they relate to security items."

He said any defects in the private clinic would be the responsibility of the state because it is a state facility.

• mthethwab@sundaytimes.co.za