President Jacob Zuma has apologised to South Africans in an effort to end a long-running scandal over improper state spending at his private home.
“The matter has caused a lot of frustration and confusion, for which I apologise,” he said in a TV address.
He said he would abide by a court ruling that he must repay government money spent on upgrading his rural home with a swimming pool and amphitheatre.
The case was brought by the opposition, which urged him to stand down.
The public protector, an anti-corruption body, ruled in 2014 that $23m (£15m) of public money had been improperly spent on Mr Zuma’s rural home in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province, and ordered him to reimburse part of the expense.
In Thursday’s unanimous judgement, the Constitutional Court ruled that Mr Zuma’s failure to repay the money violated the constitution.
In his live address on Friday, Mr Zuma said: “I respect the judgement and will abide by it.”
The president added that he had acted “in good faith” and “never knowingly and deliberately set out to violate the constitution”.
“Any action that has been found not to be in keeping with the constitution happened because of a different approach and different legal advice,” he said, before issuing an apology for the “frustration” caused.
South Africa’s Jacob Zuma ‘Sorry’ Over Nkandla Scandal added by Editor on
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Someone will also reimburse the state after 11th August.
Kikikikiki 😂 indeed hello haters. We all know what had been happening under pf. The likes of kambwili who became overy night millionaire will be answerable to the courts of zambia in august. Please vote upnd.
Sorry for the spelling errors am so jet lagged after my trip from euroupe. Am now home here in zambia.
fighting for presidency just to implicate inocent soul.God forbid.
such can never happen pa zed. stealing is normal and believe me no one has been told to remberse stolen money even in day light. corruption is high. we know them that have been brought to light but cases just gooooooooooooooooooooooo until bla bla bla
You are lucky your boss isn’t behind bars but doesn’t mean he is innocent
Is there any fight against corruption in Zambia? I would be interested to see that those that got allowances on the pretext that they are travelling abroad yet they just stayed at home can be made to pay back.