Mandela children douse fire pool 'nonsense'

02 July 2015 - 02:17 By Abongile Mgaqelwa

Nelson Mandela's Qunu home does not have a fire pool. Daughter Makaziwe Mandela and grandchildren Ndaba and Ndileka Mandela said it was an ordinary swimming pool - paid for by the late Mandela.Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, addressing the National Press Club in Pretoria on the Nkandla security upgrades, showed the media an image of Mandela's home and said: "It also has a fire pool."He was further quoted as saying a cattle culvert and walkway were also built in the Eastern Cape at government expense.Ndaba said the pool was built between 2001 and 2002. "Whether there is a pool or not, everything was built with my grandfather's money."Ndileka said: "Even if there was a fire pool it was not built by government, and that is not a fire pool, it is a swimming pool."A 2013 public works document revealed R28.2-million was spent on Mandela's Qunu home, including electric fencing, a lift, automatic gates and an alarm system.His daughter Makaziwe said: "What fire pool? That's nonsense."A family member, who declined to be named, said the cattle culvert was "made for the community".When told that the Mandelas disputed Nhleko's statement, police ministry spokesman Musa Zondi said: "I will not discuss that. If you have any questions, the department of public works will be in a position to answer you."Public works spokesman Thami Mchunu said he would respond to questions today...

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