Ramaphosa tells parliamentary watchdog his comments on state funds used for ANC campaigning were based on information in public domain.
'The statements I made... were based on claims that were already in the
public domain and rumors that were circulating within the organization and the
broader party,' adds the president.
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resident Cyril Ramaphosa repeatedly
denied having any direct information on the use of public funds for ANC
campaigning or other party purposes in a five-page response to Parliament's
Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), claiming that his knowledge of
such allegations comes from information in the public domain.
The watchdog group requested
Ramaphosa's response, dated 9 February, after a meeting it convened in January
to discuss a leaked audio recording of the president speaking during a National
Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last year. Ramaphosa seems to hint in that
incomplete audio that he did have information about public cash being utilized
for ANC objectives.
However, in his response, Ramaphosa
stated that he did not have any "direct" or "specific" information
about the use of public monies for ANC political goals, which will be discussed
at a Scopa meeting on Wednesday.
He urged that his comments be
considered in the context of the ruling party's continuing renewal process,
which includes acknowledging "wrong" activities and "taking the
necessary steps to remedy them."
“The assertions I made at the NEC
meeting were based on claims that had previously been made public and rumors
that were circulating inside the organization and the wider party. "Some
of the facts on this matter was already in the public domain previous to the
meeting at which the statement was made, as committee members are no doubt
aware," Ramaphosa stated.
He claims that his publicly available
sources include the 2019 High-Level Review Panel report on the State Security
Agency (SSA), which discusses the alleged misuse of public funds, and
statements made by Moe Shaik and Lizo Njenje during their testimony before the
State Capture Commission, which also mentions the alleged misuse of SSA funds.
Ambassador Mzuvukile Maqetuka and
protected witnesses who appeared before the panel to depose on the SSA and its
alleged use of monies for party political purposes made similar claims at the
commission, however these addressed the SSA's Principal Agent Network.
The court case involving the
Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the SA Police Service
leadership over the acquisition of surveillance equipment at inflated rates was
another source, according to Ramaphosa.
"This case was heard in court in
the year 2020. According to the claims, "funds in excess of the true cost
of the equipment were intended to be utilized to influence the outcome of the
ANC national conference in December 2017."
The ruling party is gearing up for its
elective conference in December, when Ramaphosa will seek re-election as ANC
president and, as a result, as President of South Africa. Some political
commentators believe the recording was leaked in an attempt to smear his
candidacy.
Nonetheless, Scopa has written to the
Public Protector, who was urged by ANC MP and former Scopa member Mervyn Dirks
to investigate the situation – specifically, a potential infraction of the
Ethics Code. Dirks, who is commonly thought to be affiliated with the ANC's so-called
RET wing, wrote to Scopa chairman Mkhuleko Hlengwa in December, requesting that
the committee put the recording matter on the agenda.
Scopa has also written to the Social
Security Administration and the Auditor-General, who have not raised any concerns
about the potentially irregular use of SSA money.
In his statement, Ramaphosa stated
that he had no knowledge of any orders from ministers, accounting officers, or
bureaucrats to release public funds so that they might be used by the ANC. He
acknowledged that this had been raised during the State Capture investigation
and directed Scopa to the transcripts of the proceedings.
He stated he didn't know if any MPs,
state officials, ANC staff members, or anybody else had relevant information
that may assist the committee in determining whether public funds had been
utilized for ANC party matters. He reminded Scopa of the publicly known
allegations once more.
When asked if he had any more
information that would enable Scopa establish if monies were misappropriated by
the ANC, where they were channeled, and by whom, the president pointed the
committee to the State Capture Commission's findings, the final piece of which
would be made public on February 28. He stated he didn't know if any MPs, state officials, ANC staff
members, or anybody else had relevant information that may assist the committee
in determining whether public funds had been utilized for ANC party matters. He
reminded Scopa of the publicly known allegations once more.
When asked if he had any more information
that would enable Scopa establish if monies were misappropriated by the ANC,
where they were channeled, and by whom, the president pointed the committee to
the State Capture Commission's findings, the final piece of which would be made
public on February 28.
"Since my election as
President of the Republic, I have taken a number of efforts to expose and end
the misuse of public monies," Ramaphosa writes at the end of his letter.
While some of the actions taken may not come within the scope of your
committee's authority, they are critical in the battle against
corruption."
Ramaphosa's "consistent and
emphatic support" for the State Capture Commission and several other
commissions, including the Nugent Commission of Inquiry into Tax Administration
and Governance, the PIC Commission, and the establishment of the Investigating
Directorate, are among those steps, according to him.
During the January meeting,
Hlengwa stated that Scopa reserves the right to summon the president to appear
before it once his written response is received.
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