Zuma processing lease report

Processing of the Public Protector's reports on lease deals for police office buildings is about to be completed, says President Jacob Zuma.

“I have been interacting with them and we are almost at the end of the process,” he said during a business breakfast in Sandton, organised by The New Age newspaper and SABC.

He had been corresponding with both national police commissioner General Bheki Cele and Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde since he received the reports.

“People expect that I should jump and say implement it (the protector's recommendations). That is not how government works. There is due process that has to be followed.

“This is not an easy process. I have to be clear and convinced.”

A letter had been sent to Cele asking why he should not be suspended, he said.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had compiled reports on the leasing of police buildings in Pretoria and Durban and handed them to Zuma.

Madonsela's first report, released in February, was on the R500 million lease for the Sanlam-Middestad building in Pretoria.

The second report examined the R1.1 billion agreement to lease Transnet Tower in Durban.

Madonsela found that the department of public works had deviated from the tender process, that the lease agreements were not at the market rate, and that businessman Roux Shabangu had allegedly pressured officials to finalise the deals.

She called on Zuma to take action against Mahlangu-Nkabinde, Cele and senior officials involved in the deals.

Zuma said he had followed due process after receiving the reports.