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Refunding R500 000 Bosasa donation will do little to quell opposition parties’ calls for probe and a pushback from ANC enemies
President Cyril Ramaphosa will offer to pay back the money that controversial company Bosasa paid to his campaign fund during the race for the presidency of the ANC.
On Friday, Ramaphosa backtracked on a response he gave before the National Assembly 10 days ago over a R500 000 payment from Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson.
Opposition parties have since called for an investigation to determine whether he deliberately misled Parliament, thereby violating the Constitution.
The disclosure has also made Ramaphosa vulnerable to opposition within the ANC, particularly from supporters of former president Jacob Zuma, some of whom have lost their powerful positions in government since Ramaphosa became president.
A Ramaphosa aide told City Press that there was nothing sinister about Ramaphosa disclosing that he had given Parliament wrong information about a donation from Bosasa.
“He was not aware that money had been donated to his campaign. He was far from the fundraising issues last year [during the ANC leadership race].”
The aide said he was aware that other politicians who had been caught in wrongdoing would now seek to exert similar pressure on Ramaphosa.
“The president is not worried about that. We are ready to refund that money.”
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CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
However, he added, Ramaphosa would not disclose the names of people who supported him financially last year as it was confidential information.
Opposition parties are baying for Ramaphosa’s blood, given the U-turn on Friday on a question that had been posed to him by DA leader Mmusi Maimane during a question-and-answer session.
As a follow-up question, Maimane sought clarity on R500 000, which appeared to have been paid to Ramaphosa’s son, Andile, by Bosasa.
At the time, the president told Parliament that his son was involved in the business of consulting and that his contract with Bosasa was above board.
Ramaphosa’s son, however, told News24: “I have absolutely nothing to do with this. I have never received such a payment.”
The president revealed on Friday that he had been made aware that the R500 000 was, in fact, intended for his ANC presidential bid without his knowledge.
Maimane is now calling for Parliament to establish an inquiry into Bosasa, which must determine whether or not the president misled Parliament, as well as the extent of the company’s dealings with ANC members.
Other ANC members linked to the company for having benefited from its services allegedly include MP Vincent Smith, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.
“He [Ramaphosa] must explain in that inquiry whether he deliberately misled Parliament and, in so doing, violated the Constitution,” Maimane said.
“The inquiry must also reveal the extent to which the Ramaphosa family has been in business with Bosasa and also other members of the ANC.”
The DA leader also called on Parliament to establish an oversight mechanism for the president, probably in the form of an ad hoc committee.
The party will also approach the Speaker of Parliament to set up an inquiry into the matter.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) parliamentarian and national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi told City Press that Ramaphosa should “do the right thing”, without specifying what that would be.
“Ramaphosa has lied to Parliament, which is to lie under oath, and that constitutes a violation of the Constitution. In our view, he must do the honourable thing,” Ndlozi said.
EFF leader Julius Malema had told journalists on Friday evening that he was aware of people in the state security apparatus who had an axe to grind with political leaders and who were releasing details about funds that had been used at the ANC’s December elective conference, held in Nasrec, Johannesburg.
“Too much money was used at Nasrec,” said Malema.
“That money was not declared. The president never declared that he had established a trust which was meant to finance his campaign for the ANC presidency. Only now the president makes a U-turn – why?
“Because the president is being briefed that the question asked by the opposition leader comes from intelligence bosses. It is not the first one. There are more questions coming on the finances of Nasrec.”
City Press understands that opposition parties are avoiding making outright calls for Ramaphosa to step down as it would pave the way for Deputy President David Mabuza to take over the top job until next year’s general elections.
The parties believe that a Mabuza presidency would be damaging for the country.
RUMOURS OF A PURGE SPARK FIGHTBACK
Compounding Ramaphosa’s problems is that the fall of ex-home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba has also revived an all-out fightback against him.
His foes in the ANC accuse him of using state machinery to purge political opponents in the party and government.
A similar claim was made against Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki before him.
The retaliation tactics considered by Gigaba’s corner include mobilising for a motion of no confidence against him at next year’s national general council (NGC), which will be held shortly after the elections.
They are also lobbying ANC branches to place Gigaba high up on the list of parliamentary candidates for next year’s elections.
This would make him a key rallying point for anti-Ramaphosa forces.
Gigaba’s resignation on Tuesday followed a meeting with Ramaphosa at the president’s Johannesburg residence last Friday.
City Press understands that at the end of that meeting, Ramaphosa had told Gigaba that he could no longer work with him.
Sources with intimate knowledge of the meeting said Gigaba remained defiant and refused to resign.
It appeared that Gigaba changed his mind after meeting his allies, including Ekurhuleni chairperson and mayor Mzwandile Masina.
Had Gigaba not stepped down, Ramaphosa was expected to fire him.
However, Masina said Gigaba’s resignation was of his own accord. Masina told City Press that he supported Gigaba and shared the view that different generations should share responsibilities broadly in ANC.
ACE: ‘I WAS ALSO VICTIM OF STATE ABUSE’
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule told City Press he understood where the claims of a coordinated purge were coming from.
Magashule said that those who believed that they were being purged “have a right to say it”.
“We will have to engage as an organisation and whoever is not happy, we need to continue engaging and discussing [with them].”
He said he had previously been the target of a malicious state investigation in the Free State.
“That time, the whole society knew me as being corrupt. How does one prove oneself after being found that one is not corrupt?
"My image is gone, and I could have decided to leave politics at that time. That is how people who are affected would feel. These processes must be done by people with credibility.”
He said people had been complaining about the abuse of state organs for a long time and that those who had been accused of carrying out such abuse had similarly denied the allegations.
However, Magashule added: “State organs are run by human beings.
"It depends on those human beings, and how objective they are. Individuals can say: ‘Go and investigate [this one] because I don’t like [them].’ You investigate them even when there is nothing against them, with the aim of just tarnishing their image.
“Other people will come to you and tell you that they have been told to investigate you – and even if there is nothing, we must just come with something.”
ANC Women’s League secretary-general Meokgo Matuba said there was a view that some people were being “sidelined” because they supported a certain ANC leader.
“Discipline in the ANC should apply to everybody and should not be selective. There should be consistency. If there is no consistency, it will be seen to be a purge.”
A youth leader confirmed that he had been part of a meeting where a “devious plot” to unseat Ramaphosa – through a motion of no confidence at the next NGC – was hatched.
“They said Cyril is purging people and he should not be allowed to do that. They said ANC members must rise up and speak openly about what Cyril is doing.”
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