South Africa: Court approves Zuma will refund $500.000

South Africa’s constitutional Court has approved a court order urging president Jacob Zuma to pay more than $541,362 illegally used to refurbish his Nkandla residence.

The court’s ruling in March had given Zuma 45 days excluding weekends and public holidays to pay back the money.

Even though a spokesman in Zuma’s office was not available to comment, the president had previously decided he would pay back some of the money used to refurbish the Nkandla residence.

The Nkandla scandal had been raised by South Africa’s public prosecutor Thuli Madosela in 2014.

Although threatened on several occasions, she remained firm on her decision.

The saga has divided president Zuma’s party and there are fears that the ANC could suffer the consequences during local elections to hold next week.