SACBC Justice and Peace Commission

The President should show a greater level of ethical leadership on the Nkandla affair

The Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference notes with dismay the determination in the report released by the police minister Nathi Nhleko last week that President Zuma is not liable for any non-security upgrades to his private residence at Nkandla.

There are a lot of legal and constitutional matters that are being contested in relation to the public protector’s report on Nkandla. As Church, our role is to remind our political leaders of their ethical responsibility.   In this role, we wish to remind our political leaders that, at a time when millions of our people are struggling to make ends meet, it is morally unjustifiable for the government to spend excessive amounts of money – R246 million – on one person and on non-security items highlighted by the public protector’s report. We therefore urge the president to show ethical leadership and take some responsibility for the runaway expenditure on the Nkandla project.

We are also concerned with the far reaching impact that the Nkandla project will have on the national efforts to end corruption and achieve moral regeneration.  We strongly appeal to the government to make sure that the Nkandla saga does not diminish the capacity of the office of the public protector to fight corruption.

Released by:
Bishop Abel Gabuza,
The chairperson of the Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
Tel. 053 831 1861 or 053 831 1862.
Email: dagabuza@gmail.com
Website: http://sacbcjusticeandpeace.org/