Johannesburg — AMID pressure from political parties President Jacob Zuma will explain tomorrow why he has failed to declare his financial interests 10 months after taking office last year.
Zuma is still to disclose his financial interests, as required by law, fuelling criticism that he has not been exemplary in leading the fight against fraud and corruption in the government.
Just as the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it would ask Public Protector Thulisile Madonsela, to investigate the controversy, Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, said the president would clarify the matter tomorrow.
"By Wednesday morning, a statement will be issued on behalf of the president in relation to exactly what the position would be," Hulley said.
Opposition parties had rejected the Presidency's claim that Zuma's nondisclosure was because he had been seeking clarity on whether he actually needed to make a declaration of interests, as other members of the Cabinet are required to do.
DA leader Helen Zille said her party wanted Madonsela to investigate Zuma's alleged breach of section 5 of the Executive Ethics Code. She said Zuma had failed to disclose his financial interests, assets and liabilities by July 8 last year.
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The push for Zuma to declare his financial interests is the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents.
His state of the nation address last month was much criticised. It emerged recently that he had fathered a child out of wedlock with Sonono Khoza, daughter of Irvin Khoza, the owner of Orlando Pirates football club.
When Zuma visited the UK last week the media there was scathing commentary about his polygamous marriages, numerous children and past brushes with the law.
Yesterday Zille dismissed the claim by Zuma's spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, that the president had not disclosed his interests because he was seeking legal opinion.
She said the Executive Ethics Code required Cabinet members to declare their financial interests within 60 days of assuming office. "If he had nothing to hide, after all, he would simply declare his interests, and the Presidency would not be doing legal somersaults to find a reason for him not to declare," Zille said.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa urged Zuma to declare his interests immediately, just as his predecessors had done, saying the law required him to do so. "In order to stamp out corruption, he needs to lead by example," he said.
Zuma's failure to disclose was compared with revelations that African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema had not submitted tax returns. Malema has so far failed to disprove allegations that he benefited from state contracts worth R140m through a company, SGL Engineering Projects, of which he owns 70%.
Magwenya said the president had nothing to hide and had started working on a submission in case he was required to declare. The process, which entailed verifying the interests of his large family and dependent children, was expected to take some time. "That process is already under way. He will want to see it completed as soon as possible."
With Sapa
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