Nkandla architect Minenhle Makhanya missed day 4 on Thursday of his Special Tribunal trial due to ill health.

The tribunal was informed that Makhanya was hospitalized at an undisclosed facility in Durban on Wednesday night.

A medical certificate was submitted to the Tribunal and it indicated that Makhanya would not be available on Thursday and so the trial is expected to resume on Friday at 10am.

The medical certificate has been submitted and sitting reconvenes. According to the certificate, Mr Makhanya is not available on the 30th of September (today). The trial will resume at 10H00 tomorrow (Friday).

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 30, 2021

Since the trial commenced on Monday, the Tribunal has heard, among other matters, that some of the air conditioners (aircons) installed at former president Jacob Zuma’s private residence at Nkandla eventually cost R4 million instead of the R152 000 which had initially been approved.

The first defendant, Makhanya, signed off the certification and recommended payments totalling R4 million for the air conditioning at Mr Zuma's residence, witness confirms the Particulars of Claim to this effect.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

The Tribunal also heard that R8.8 million was spent to tar the roads leading to Zuma’s private residence in Nkandla despite a recommendation by the police that R98 000 should be spent.

R8, 8 million was paid for the tarring of the two roads leading to the private residence of Mr Zuma. The SAPS report had recommended the patrol roads and costed them at R98 000. The Department of Public Works had a budget of R448 000 for the upgrading of roads

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

The Tribunal also heard that proper procedures were not followed to appoint Makhanya.

R500 000 was approved for three guard houses for the South African Police Service (SAPS) and a tuckshop, the tribunal heard, however, a witness told the court that after Makhanya “over designed” the amount shot up to R2.5 million, “which is the amount in respect of the claim being pursued”.

Three SAPS guard houses and a tuckshop at a cost of R500 000 and was approved. Witness says the first defendant over designed and ultimately the amounts increased to R2, 5 million which is the amount in respect of the claim being pursued.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

The Tribunal heard that landscaping at Zuma’s residence cost R7 million.

The “firepool” and the VIP parking for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), which the army had not requested, were not security requirements for the private residence of the former president, the Tribunal heard.

R3 million was paid for the designs of the VIP parking with motorized garage doors and for the “fire pool”.

Special Tribunal hears that R3 million was paid for the designs of the VIP parking with motorised garage doors and parking for nine vehicles as well as the design of the firepool with a capacity to carry 45 000 litres of water, in case of a fire outbreak.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

R8 million is the estimated cost of the onsite clinic, which was designed by Makhanya, and the payment for it was approved by the first defendant as the principal architect, the Tribunal heard.

The cost of the clinic is estimated at R8 million. This was designed and the payment thereof was authorized by Makhanya in his capacity as principal architect, Special Tribunal hears. The quantity surveyor will provide further details.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

R2.5 million instead of R900 000 was paid for the construction of the control room, without the approval of the Department of Public Works, the Tribunal heard.

R2, 5 million, instead of R900 000, was paid for the construction of the control room as that included professional fees. Special Tribunal hears that again this was done without Public Works' written approval.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

The Tribunal also heard that a private request was made for a visitors lounge and that R7 million was paid for this and the control room.

The request for the visitors lounge was a private request. The argument was that the masses of people who visited Mr Zuma needed to be closely monitored hence the idea to put the visitors lounge in one building with the control room, Special Tribunal hears.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

The Tribunal was scheduled to hear the trial in the R155 million civil recovery proceedings between the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and Makhanya and the Department of Public Works for a week, starting on Monday.

The Department paid for every claim they received and paid no due diligence to verifying the work done. Special Tribunal hears Makhanya was given the benefit of doubt in that he did work without procurement instructions.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

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Th staff accommodation was not a security requirement by SAPS and Makhanya did not get written approval from the Director General. The overdesigns were not actioned by any prior written approval from the Director General, Special Tribunal hears.

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

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Witness details how the security upgrades have been done at the homes of previous Presidents. In the case of security related aspects at the residence of Mr Zuma a lot of incurred expenditure was unauthorized and that Makhanya strayed away from his mandate, Special Tribunal hears

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

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The principal architect should be held liable for the unauthorized variation of work. More importantly it would be of interest to the trial to establish where did he obtain his mandates from as it is found on record that there was no approval from Public Works

— Special Tribunal South Africa (@TribunalSpecial) September 29, 2021

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