A week after my request to view President Zuma’s declaration of interests, the Presidency’s Director-General, Dr Cassius Lubisi, has written back offering the date of this Monday, 13 November. I have accepted the offer, and will be going to the Union Buildings to view the relevant documents on said date.

I will be viewing the President’s declaration of interests documents for all the years of his Presidency, with a particular eye on whether he declared the R1 million per year salary he received from his friend and tender mogul, Roy Moodley’s company, Royal Security – during the first few months of this Presidency.

When I asked him to clarify this in Parliament last week, Zuma responded by saying “I did not receive payments from private individuals or companies during my tenure as President, other than those which have been disclosed or reported to the necessary authorities” (our emphasis)

Therefore it is vital to confirm that the President did in fact declare this salary, and that he paid the appropriate tax in terms of the Income Tax Act.

The President’s declaration of interests is a public document as per the Executive Ethics Act. Section 7.5 of the Code makes it clear that ”Any person has access to the public part of a register during office hours of the secretary concerned”.

If the R1 million per month salary has not been declared as required by the Executive Ethics Act, the DA will consider what further action is appropriate in the circumstances.

President Zuma is subject to the law as like any other citizen, and we will ensure he is treated as such.

 

Issued by DA