South African President Jacob Zuma will not have to repay any of the millions of dollars of taxpayers' money spent on upgrades at his private residence, the minister of police announced Thursday.

Finding that all the upgrades, including a swimming pool, were for security purposes, Nkosinathi Nhleko told a news conference: "The state president is therefore not liable to pay for any of the security features."

The spending of some $24 million dollars on upgrades at Zuma's private residence has been one of the biggest scandals dogging the embattled head of state.