South Africa’s President Will Pay Back Some of the Millions Spent on Absurd Home Improvements

South African President Jacob Zuma has offered to pay back some of the $23 million the state spent on luxury conversions to his sprawling rural home, in an attempt to quell what has become a major political controversy.

The upgrades to Zuma's home paid for by South African taxpayers include an amphitheater, a swimming pool, a football pitch and a cattle enclosure. The number of houses on the property, located about 15 miles south of Nkandla town, doubled between 2000 and 2010 and more have been added since then.

Zuma says the upgrades were necessary for security.

South Africa's Public Protector Thuli Madonsela said in a 2014 report Zuma had "unduly benefited from the enormous capital investment in the non-security installations at his private residence." She noted previous presidents Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela spent $1.1 million and $2.9 million respectively on their private homes.

Zuma to pay back money for home upgrade https://t.co/4jk62O1zno pic.twitter.com/9gLsHBpvyc

— Capital FM Kenya (@CapitalFMKenya) February 3, 2016

Madonsela said Zuma should repay the state for the costs of the unnecessary renovations — which totalled nearly 250 million rand, then worth upwards of $20 million, now worth around $15 million — but the president has denied any wrongdoing.

Opposition parties, particularly the militant left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have since frequently heckled Zuma in parliament over his refusal to pay the money.

The EFF and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have taken the matter to the Constitutional Court, with a hearing set for next Tuesday.

The presidency said in a statement issued late on Tuesday night Zuma had proposed that the chief auditor and the finance minister determine how much money he should pay back in order to "achieve an end to the drawn-out dispute."

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on South African radio his party would not agree to a "settlement that will undermine the public protector." EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the movement would consult its lawyers.

We confirm that we reject settlement offer from Zuma and will proceed with our heads of argument as planned @MmusiMaimane #PayBackTheMoney

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 3, 2016

"President Zuma is not responding out of the goodness of his heart or out of understanding the importance of respecting the …. recommendations of the public protector," Ndlozi said.

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