Madonsela Causes Stir On Twitter
A tweet by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela questioning those who “discuss and distort” her findings into the upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s private Nkandla home while expecting her to keep silent, has sparked a debate on social networking platform, Twitter, with some calling for Madonsela to raise her voice and other’s saying “back off, your work is done.”
@SABreakingNews Is it fair to keep discussing +distorting my findings on #NKandla+how the family benefited while asking me to keep quiet?
— ThuliMadonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3) April 17, 2014
The tweet came as a response to African National Congress (ANC) national chairperson, Baleka Mbete’s statements on Thursday. She told the media that experts looked at the private homestead from a security perspective, and changed the design in such a way that it no longer benefitted the Zuma family.
Mbete said while Public Protector ThuliMadonsela’s report into the R246 million of public funds used to upgrade the Nkandla residence clarified a lot, some things were debatable. She said one of those was not interfering with a man’s kraal.
“In the African tradition you don’t interfere with a man’s kraal,” she said. “The issue of a man’s kraal or a kraal of a family is holy space.”
Many tweeted in support of Madonsela urging her to exercise her freedom of speech:
@SABreakingNews This just gets more and more ridiculous, absolutely no accountable, and we are suppose to trust these people to run our SA?
— nozipho (@Nozipps) April 18, 2014
@ThuliMadonsela3@danmoyane@SABreakingNews Look at the quality of the people raising the questions, Thuli, and you have the answer.
— Jenny Crwys Williams (@jcwLIFE) April 18, 2014
@ThuliMadonsela3@SABreakingNews I don’t think you need to be drawn by government mouthparts. Perception rules and you have the high ground.
— We’re Watching (@1eyeOnPolitics) April 18, 2014
@KienoKammies@ThuliMadonsela3@SABreakingNews I thought Thuli’s findings are supposed to be final, legal and binding.
— Brad Saunders (@drab9299_brad) April 18, 2014
But other’s advised her to stay out of the media:
@maggsnaidu@ThuliMadonsela3@SABreakingNews very true. Do your work & let us to judge. PP like the media, like 2 be in d headlines
— BonganiDhlamini (@bonganidhl) April 18, 2014
@ThuliMadonsela3 you really should step out of the debate now and leave it to South Africa @SABreakingNews
— Maggs Naidu (@maggsnaidu) April 18, 2014
@ThembaletuMbang@ThuliMadonsela3@SABreakingNews I dont think its professional to discuss her findings and disputes thereof on twitter
— Nhlanhla (@Nhlanhl48363728) April 17, 2014
In her report, Madonsela found that Zuma and his family unduly benefitted from the upgrades to his private residence, and some of the changes could not be categorised as “security upgrades.” These included the swimming pool, cattle kraal and amphitheatre.
Madonsela recommended that Zuma pay back a portion of the costs.
Tell us what you think the public protector’s response should be at @sabreakingnews
photo credit: GovernmentZA via photopin cc
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