A new war of words has erupted between President Jacob Zuma and public protector Thuli Madonsela, with the president accusing her of disrespecting his police minister and undermining parliament. In turn, Madonsela said Zuma used a nonexistent paragraph from her report on Nkandla when he asked Police Minister Nathi Nhleko to determine whether he was liable to repay some of the R246-million spent on the homestead.The spat between the two - already heightened by ANC accusations that Madonsela is a "proxy of foreign forces and opposition parties" - emerged in a letter Zuma wrote to Madonsela two weeks ago.story_article_left1In it, Zuma sternly rebukes her, saying: "I find the criticism and innuendo that because the Minister of Police is a member of the cabinet and consequently incapable of discharging a function foreshadowed by you and largely adopted by parliament, unfair and unwarranted."He further accuses her of interfering with the work of parliament, suggesting that she allow "parliament to do its work as determined by its processes and the Constitution".Zuma was responding to a letter Madonsela had apparently written to him on June 15 that detailed inaccuracies, incomplete information and innuendos in Nhleko's report, which was released in May.According to sources, Madonsela this week responded to Zuma's criticism of her - drawing his attention to the altered report.Zuma's letter, dated July 23, states that he appointed Nhleko on her recommendation.mini_story_image_vright3He then quotes Madonsela as having written: "The President is to: Engage the minister of police with a view to determining a fair amount to be paid by him in respect of the items identified in this report as not listed in the security list and not reasonably linked to security."The Sunday Times understands that Madonsela disputed that this was part of her original report.Her final report, "Secure in Comfort", recommends that "the National Treasury and SAPS" take steps "to determine the reasonable costs" that do not relate to security upgrades.Asked for comment yesterday, Madonsela said: "What Nhleko is doing is an illegal charade. It is not based on any of my reports."She would not comment on her response to Zuma.As details emerged of the latest salvo between the president and Madonsela, more evidence of damning lies regarding the state of Nkandla's security features came to light.The Sunday Times can reveal that the government lied about Zuma's safety in Nkandla, claiming that the surveillance cameras installed at his homestead have never functioned.This lie was part of Nhleko's argument that Zuma was not safe and was a victim of shoddy workmanship - and that an additional R31-million needed to be spent to improve security at his private home.It has now emerged that the CCTV surveillance equipment, which supposedly cost R11-million, was in fact working as late as November last year.This is contrary to what government officials, led by General Mondli Zuma, told the ad hoc committee and journalists during an in loco inspection in Nkandla last week.block_quotes_start We are criticising the contractor and now it appears the security equipment is functioning. It means they are still lying to us block_quotes_endNhleko's office this week also confirmed government claims that the CCTV system in Nkandla has never been functional."The mobile detection beams that are part of the system have never been installed and the monitors in the control room have since been lying on the floor and evidence shown during the in loco inspection by the media and parliament pointed to the fact the CCTV control room is not manned and operational," said Musa Zondi, Nhleko's spokesman.Nhleko has consistently argued that the president was not liable for any money spent on his homestead and laid the blame on contractors and government officials.But contractor Elliot Magubane, who scored millions installing the equipment, is adamant that the system is fully operational.Magubane provided the Sunday Times with photos of the surveillance cameras and the monitors in full operation on November 27 2014.full_story_image_hleft1In the photos one can see that the monitors, showing footage from the cameras on the perimeter walls and at the gate, are fully functional on the president's property."Did anyone switch it on and check if it is working? The answer is no. All the equipment is on site and it is functioning. It is news to me that the equipment is not working. Every camera is connected and cables go on the skirting. My work was above board and the money was justified. I would really like someone to try and prove that I inflated prices," said Magubane.Journalists who visited Nkandla last Sunday were shown the control room with surveillance equipment disconnected and strewn on the floor, with some packed in boxes. The monitors were disconnected and showed no sign of being functional.full_story_image_hleft2"I am informed that even if a camera or two worked, that does not amount to much without analytics and motion detectors. So the whole system was not working and still does not work," said Zondi after being informed about the photos of the cameras in operation.A fuming Magubane told the Sunday Times: "Is this a smear campaign perhaps? Because that equipment is working. It is a lie that it is not working. I charged them a normal rate and I completed my work."DA leader Mmusi Maimane said this was proof that the government was trying to portray Zuma as a victim and discredit Madonsela."They clearly disconnected it to create a public view that they are victims here. They are victimising everybody else and discrediting the public protector to create an impression that the president was robbed and is not living in safety and comfort," said Maimane.story_article_right2The United Democratic Movement's Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, a member of the ad hoc committee who had demanded to know why Magubane had been paid for work not done, said he was shocked to learn that the equipment did in fact work."We are busy criticising the contractor and now it appears the security equipment is functioning. In essence it means they are still lying to us," said Kwankwa.Ad hoc committee chairman Cedric Frolick refused to discuss Magubane's claim."I can only report on what we saw there ... We are not going to be drawn into speculation because that can potentially collapse the state's case," he said.The ad hoc committee has called on the contractors to be prosecuted.ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa launched a scathing attack on the public protector, accusing her of being a threat to her own office.He labelled Madonsela a proxy for opposition parties and unnamed foreign forces "working to discredit" Zuma.Madonsela yesterday dismissed Kodwa's comments, saying he must "explain and submit evidence to the nation of which foreign forces and opposition parties" she was working for.story_article_left3"What he is doing is reckless, defamatory and improper."Madonsela further said every allegation in her report was backed up by detailed evidence.It has also emerged that several contractors are owed a lot of money for work done in Nkandla.According to Magubane, he had still not been paid millions. He claimed that he was only paid R9.6-million, although some government reports state that he was paid well over R10-million in 2012.Another service provider, Otis (Pty) Ltd, which installed three elevators at Zuma's home, is still owed hundreds of thousands of rands. The company refused to divulge how much it was paid.But public works documents show that the government paid R1.9-million out of the authorised R2.3-million to the company in 2011.jikat@sundaytimes.co.za, shobas@sundaytimes.co.za, rampedip@sundaytimes.co.za..