Cyril: Nkandla probe not dead

ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has denied that the parliamentary investigation into the R246-million Nkandla "security upgrading" scandal is dead and buried.

ANC MPs on Monday used their majority to shut down the ad hoc committee established to scrutinise President Jacob Zuma's response to public protector Thuli Madonsela's report on Nkandla, which found that he had "unduly benefited" from the upgrading of his private homestead .

Speaking to reporters yesterday at an ANC breakfast briefing in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said he was confident that the incoming parliament would attend to the matter.

"We are satisfied that this matter is going to be handled as we move on," he said.

Also at the briefing were Minister of Public Service and Administration Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile and Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula.

Parliamentary rules dictate that, if the next parliament is called on to revive the matter, it will be able to do so only if a majority of MPs vote in favour of a motion allowing it.

This again puts the ANC in a position to frustrate efforts to hold Zuma to account.

Ramaphosa said the decision to defer the committee's investigation was "very practical" because the committee would not have had enough time to scrutinise Madonsela's report and Zuma's response to it fully, and then make recommendations, before the general election on Wednesday next week.

The committee was made up of seven ANC members, two DA members and a single MP each from the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Freedom Front Plus.

COPE failed to send a representative to the committee after 23 of its MPs defected to the ANC.

In her scathing report, Madonsela said that Zuma and his family personally benefited from several non-security features.

The non-security features included a kraal, a chicken run, what appears to be a swimming pool, and an amphitheatre.

The DA, the African Christian Democratic Party and the Freedom Front Plus have all accused the ANC of trying to make the Nkandla scandal "go away".