South Africa's highest court had decided earlier in the year that President Jacob Zuma had violated the country's constitution by defying an order to repay some of the funds used to renovate his traditional homestead in Nkandla.

In March 2016, the Constitutional Court of South Africa had ruled that Zuma had "failed to uphold, defend and respect the constitution as the supreme law of the land" by refusing to hand back the funds.

The controversial upgrades to his private home in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, include a visitors' center, a swimming pool, and a chicken run among other lavish additions. Zuma had originally claimed security was the purpose of the expenditure.

"President Zuma has paid over the amount [...] to the South African Reserve Bank as ordered by the Constitutional Court of South Africa," the presidency said in a statement, adding that the president had raised the funds through a home loan. The treasury confirmed separately that the payment had been received.

Opposition parties had been using the slogan "pay back the money" to draw attention to the corruption scandal.

(DW)