ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa. Image: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
Siyabonga Sithole
African National Congress(ANC) spokesperson, Pule Mabe has defended the party over its support of President Cyril Ramaphosa whose Phalaphala farm was robbed of more than $4 million in February 2020.
The robbery was concealed from the public, while Ramaphosa was said to be out of the country at the time.
News of the scandal broke after former state security agency head, Arthur Fraser opened a case of money laundering and kidnapping against the ANC leader, almost two weeks ago.
Since then, there have been calls from opposition political parties for the President to account on his role in allegedly concealing the robbery and keeping large sums of undeclared money on his property amid accusations of kidnapping and money laundering.
The ANC spokesperson spoke out for the first time as part of a panel discussion on Umhlobo Wenene FM on Sunday and saying the President cannot be expected to step down when he was yet to be charged alongside fellow panelists, United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader, Bantu Holomisa and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) chairperson, Veronica Mente.
Holomisa said the “Farmgate” scandal needed an urgent investigation.
“Our view has always been simple. As matters stand, the President has not been charged. Our policy on stepping aside has got to do with a person who has been indicted and formally charged with serious crimes who must appear before a court of law.
It is not in our policies that allegations alone qualify for a person to step aside. It is premature as things stand for people to raise the issue for the President to resign or step aside,” Mabe told listeners.
Mabe told the listeners that the ANC realised the seriousness of the scandal which is why the party had met in the past week to discuss the matter involving its president.
“ Of course, we do acknowledge the seriousness of the allegations against our president. ANC realised that these are serious allegations being made against our leader. When we met at the National Executive Committee(NEC), we spoke at length about this issue. We asked the national office to return with a report that will empower the National Working Committee (NWC) to be able to tackle this matter,” Mabe said.
Mabe added that Ramaphosa has made contact with the party's integrity committee and is prepared to appear before it which is in line with the rules and regulations of the party that when a leader or member of the party is accused of wrongdoing, they are bound to appear before this internal structure and answer to it.
“We do appreciate that South Africans also want to hear from the president. The case was opened at the Rosebank police station by Arthur Fraser. So the police conducting an investigation will be able through their own channels brief the people of this country.
But the ANC as a political party can only talk about what is available within its own reach and structures. In this instance, the ANC can refer to its integrity commission because we do not impose ourselves on the people of South Africa even as we govern them.
As an organisation we have established a structure called the integrity committee to be able to deal with issues of conduct and integrity of our own leaders to explain themselves,” he said.