Here is a detailed breakdown of the state's expenditure on the President's residence at Nkandla spending:
Die Burger (17 October) and City Press (21 October) put the total cost of the Nkandla upgrade project at R248 million.
This figure includes:
• R121 million to construction companies
• R3 million for bullet proof windows
• R9.23 million for a perimeter fence
• R2.3 million for lift/s
• R54 million has already been paid to consultants, architects, land surveyors, engineers and project managers
• Thirty-one costly new buildings were constructed in the compound, with one contractor (who built six of them, see below) charging Public Works R8 million per building
• A gate house, a gymnasium and guest rooms
• An underground bunker, with a lift to ferry President Zuma between the main house and the bunker
• A helipad
• The installation of air conditioning systems at a cost of R1.5 million
• R200 000 on lightning protectors for the thatched roofs
In August 2010, public works told Parliament the project would cost R6.4 million.
This upgrade has been undertaken despite massive upgrades to Zuma’s official residences in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town also having been undertaken since 2009.
Payments to contractors started in December 2009 – seven months after Zuma was sworn in as president.
The final delivery date of the project is August 2013.
The biggest beneficiary of the Nkandla upgrade by far has been businesswoman Thandeka Nene’s Bonelena Construction Enterprise and Projects, which scored two building contracts worth R33.4 million and R66 million, respectively.
The R33.4 million contract was for “emergency work”, indicating the work did not go out on public tender.
Bonelena’s second contract, the cost of which increased from R55 million to R66 million, was for the construction of “25 new buildings” at R2.6 million each.
Moneymine 310 (an apt name!), a company owned by businesswoman Pamela Mfeka, was contracted to construct six new buildings at the compound at a cost of R47.6 million, meaning each building cost R7.9 million.
It is still unclear exactly what expenses Zuma and his family will carry, but a Public Works document released earlier this year put the figure at R10.6 million.
The Nkandla compound was built by Zuma in 2000.
During the corruption trial of Schabir Shaik it was alleged that money from French arms dealer Thales was used to fund the building of the complex.
